


Kisses Are Too Intimate: A Soulmate AU

by bellamyslady



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-31 03:40:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3963040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellamyslady/pseuds/bellamyslady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[DISCONTIINUED: AUTHOR EXPLANATION WITHIN]</p><p>In which Clarke and Bellamy are two CEOs who find themselves in completely different situations and then, they find each other.</p><p>When her position as CEO of Griffin Empire is threatened, she must Bond as soon as possible to save it but her mother’s failed Bonding has put Clarke off romance forever. Bellamy Blake has always wanted revenge and when Griffin Empire’s scandals are revealed, he finds his opportunity. A cold, hard, practical business arrangement is drawn up. It’s all fun, games and getting what they both want until one of them discovers that they are Soulmates and the other discovers an ulterior motive. It begins with a crumbling empire and Finn Collins being a prick. Features: an adorable Monty Green, a rowdy wolf-pack, Raven Reyes being the best friend anyone can have and the adults messing everything up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. April 8

**Author's Note:**

> I’m posting this after the longest time of procrastination and because I am on break in three weeks. This means I’ll get time to finish this fic! It’s going to be a long multi-chapter and it’s the first in a long series of Soulmate AUs. This entire fic is dedicated to Val (natromxnov on tumblr) and Jane (bellsarks on Tumblr) for being the best betas and best friends that any writer can ask for. Without them, this fic would not exist. As always, feedback is very much welcome.

_**APRIL 8** _

_**EXCLUSIVE: GOLDEN BOY TALKS ICE QUEEN** _

_Finn Collins speaks to Soulmate Daily in an exclusive expose about his relationship with Clarke Griffin, detailing all the dirty business behind the scenes and everything you wanted to know about our resident Ice Queen._

_Two weekends ago, the couple was spotted attending the Unity Day Ball separately. Collins had attended with an unnamed brunette girl while Clarke flew solo. They barely spoke to one another and Clarke appeared to have spent the evening by Raven Reyes’ side. An inside source reveals the Golden Couple is done and it’s not a temporary separation. Our hearts are broken but as always, we have the interview for you._

**_SD: Let’s jump straight in, Finn. You once said Clarke was your soulmate. Two years is a really long time to date someone. What changed?_ **

_Finn Collins: She told me she didn’t want a relationship. She said she didn’t even think we were soulmates. She had this weird idea we would Bond just so we wouldn’t have to find our soulmates. She thought I was on the same page which is really weird because I’ve been hinting for the past couple of months that we should Bond. I couldn’t let my feelings get played that way so I left._

**_SD: I’m so sorry it happened to you, Finn. I can imagine it must have been really tough dating Clarke Griffin. I’ve heard she can be really cold and it’s not just her Ice Queen act. Let’s hear your side of it._ **

_Finn Collins: She’s also extremely calculating and ruthless. [Laughs] Cold might be the correct word to describe Clarke but let me tell you, she was fire in bed. She knew how to make a man pray to God with that mouth of hers. I always joked that she had had a lot of practice but she never said anything about it. She just smiled her beautiful smile._

**_SD: Phew, that’s scandalous, Finn. But you still haven’t answered the question. What was it like dating Clarke?_ **

_Finn Collins: What can I say? I’m good at what I do. [Laughs] Dating Clarke was like dealing with two persons at once and you’ll never know whom you get. One minute, she can be absolutely amazing. She’ll make you dance around her living room. And the next, she’s all glaring and yelling for you to leave her alone. It wasn’t easy. I thought I loved her. I do, actually but I have to do what’s best for me. She was sucking the life out of me and I didn’t want that kind of a relationship. There’s no pleasing her. Clarke Griffin is the kind of girl you have while waiting for your soulmate to come along_

**_SD: I heard that she was married to her job. After all, you can’t be that successful without being devoted._ **

_Finn Collins: Don’t even get me started on the amount of hours she spent in that office of hers. I’d plan a wonderful romantic dinner and just as I am about to pick her up, she tells me she’s too busy and that she’ll reschedule. When I go to visit, sometimes, she barely looks at me. After sex, she doesn’t even cuddle. She just goes straight back to work like I was some sort of cheap booty call. I guess it’s because she never considered me her soulmate and that explains why she’s always avoided the romance of our relationship._

**_SD: But the two of you are always together seen together. You went to Rome last year and Paris the year before that. There was the Jaha’s annual soiree and the Blake Industries Fund Raiser. That doesn’t scream non-romance to me._ **

_Finn Collins: Oh, Clarke is the master of putting up fronts. She can smile and preen and dance for the cameras but once we’re behind doors, she drops it all. Until I get her into bed, of course. It’s the only time I ever see any real emotion from her. To Clarke, sex is a temporary distraction and solution._

**_SD: For the past two years, we have been trying to get the both of you to sit down and chat with us. In fact, everyone out there has wanted to do so but the both of you are just so private. So, tell me, why now? Why break the silence?_ **

_Finn Collins: Because the world deserves to know Clarke is not the woman you thought she is. [He refused to elaborate.]_

**_SD: There was a rumour that Bonding was in the plans for the both of you. Would you like to address it?_ **

_Finn Collins: That was the work of her publicist and her PR team. They thought it would make her a little more approachable to the public. Of course, I was thinking about Bonding with her but I never wanted it to go public. I like to be private with this sort of thing, you know. After all, you only have one Soulmate in your lifetime. You’d better make it count, right?_

**_SD: Which brings me to my next question, what is Clarke and Abby [Griffin]’s relationship like? Sources have told me they constantly butt heads and are at odds with each other. I’m sure you have some insight to that._ **

_Finn Collins: Phew, that is one huge can of worms but I promised you a story. Clarke once told me Abby betrayed her father, stole all his money and then built the company. Crazy, I know. So, Clarke really hates Abby and though they look like the perfect family, they’re really not. They avoid each other all the time and they’ll never be together in the same room. Like I said, Clarke is really good at putting up fronts. Abby’s story about how her husband left her penniless is another publicity move. It’s not real. Clarke told me the truth._

**_SD: They’re selling us a lie! I can’t believe it!_ **

_Finn Collins: You had better because that’s what it is. That’s how our world works. It’s just a whole bunch of lies, misconceptions and playing with everyone’s feelings._

**_SD: We have a couple of questions from our readers. Devon of Polis wants to know what kind of lingerie Clarke wears._ **

_Finn Collins: Surprisingly, Clarke has really sexy taste in underwear. She may look prim and proper on the outside with her fancy suits and dresses but damn, she’s an A-class vixen on the inside. Her favourite colours include red and purple and she loves diamonds. [I asked him for a picture but he didn’t have one. Clarke apparently isn’t big on bedroom selfies]_

**_SD: Xara of Owa wants to know what your favourite positions are._ **

_Finn Collins: We don’t have one. [Laughs] Clarke likes being on top. That’s all I have to say._

**_SD: Michelle, our intern, wants to know what is the most romantic thing you have done for Clarke and what has she done for you?_ **

_Finn Collins: Most definitely surprising her at work and taking her on a week-long trip to the Maldives, complete with extreme privacy and a personal chef. The most romantic thing Clarke has ever done for me was to cook dinner. She burnt it, of course, and we had to get pizza but that was the most romantic thing. And it was only once._

**_SD: One final question. For all the lucky hopefuls out there, where is Clarke’s Mark?_ **

_Finn Collins: You know what’s funny? In the two years that I’ve known her, I’ve never seen her Mark. I always thought I didn’t need to. I thought the connection we build would be enough to justify our love. Like, how can someone you feel such a connection to, not be your soulmate? Then, she told me our Marks weren’t the same and we were never meant to be._

* * *

 

Clarke couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She was the perfect girl. Her name was never in the tabloid for anything but praise. She knew Finn was vindictive but she never expected him to stoop this low. They had reputations to protect. It looked like this was how he was going to play it with society and his retainers.

“Fucking spineless son of a leper’s daughter!” The string of profanities was loud in the quiet of the office usually dominated by the noise of scientists taunting each other and simultaneously working together.

In fact, it wasn’t just ominously silent, it was also dark. The only source of light came from Clarke’s office where four of Griffin Medical Empire’s top management were gathered around her massive oak desk. In the centre of her desk was the magazine, opened to the heinous article with a large slash through Finn’s smiling face. The sombre gathering coupled with the rising sun filtering in through her floor-to-ceiling windows made her usually cheery office look like a war room. It looked as if they were preparing for battle (and in some ways, they were).

All but one of them contemplated the object that caused the impromptu meeting and Clarke’s sudden cuss. “My SpiFlies didn’t catch it. I think they jammed the technology. Or they stored it on a secure database we haven’t identified…or…Finn blabbed and told them to keep it all on paper until the last possible moment.”

“What do we pay you for, Monty?”

Hurt and shock registered on Monty Green’s face as Clarke snapped. Fear and anger were controlling her at the moment and she groaned, collapsing into her leather chair with her head in her hand. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not your fault.”

Marcus Kane chimed it. “She’s right. Not with all the new…or old technology these days.”

Monty nodded, accepting her apology and offered Clarke a sympathetic smile and his coffee. Clarke returned his smile with a tired one and accepted the coffee. He knew her too well. She downed the bitter office sludge in one go and then rubbed her eyes. Her hair was tousled from sleep and repeatedly running her fingers through it in frustration. She had been rudely awakened when her mother had stormed in and tossed the magazine onto her desk where she had fallen asleep reviewing her latest research project.

Across from Clarke, Abby looked like the regal queen of the Griffin Empire with her hair perfectly brushed and her tailored suit wrinkle-free. Even her make-up was on point. Correct that, Abby was the queen and Clarke was…at that moment, Clarke didn’t feel like much. The sun was barely up and Abby was already ready to take on the day. Clarke was ready to get into bed and never come out from under her covers.

“There’s nothing more we can do except to get them to pull it back. Which would probably cause another media mention and we can’t afford it.” Marcus’ tone was final which added to the leaden feeling in Clarke’s heart. “All we can do is wait for it to die down.”

“We can’t wait! For fuck’s sake, do something. Anything! Press conference, something! That son of a bitch is a fucking liar!”

Clarke’s hands trembled with the uncertainty of her situation but she clenched her fists to stop, digging crescents into her palms. She also knew, in her heart, Marcus was right. There was nothing they could do except to put on a good front and weather the scandal. Not only did Finn try to ruin her reputation, he had also dragged her mother and Griffin Medical Empire into the fray. It was an unforgivable crime and she was glad she had broken up with him the moment he had started searching fervently for her Mark.

“He’s also telling the truth –“Abby was cut short as her phone vibrated on the table. Clarke held her breath as her mother read the message. A scowl marred Abby’s perfectly composed features and with much restraint, she put the phone back on the table. She folded her hands and regarded Clarke and then, Marcus with a grim look. “That was Thelonious.”

“What did he say?” Marcus spoke first and Clarke was glad he did.

She was frozen in her chair and she gaped at her mother like a fish out of water. The Chairman never contacted Abby directly unless it was an emergency. Clarke wished a pit would form beneath her chair and swallow her up. Clarke knew that if it was a work emergency, Abby wouldn’t be here which meant that the emergency was Clarke’s “scandal”.

“The council has gathered.” Abby ploughed her hand through her hair, finally messing up her perfect hair. She faced Clarke straight on and asked as gently as she should, “When did you tell him about me and your father?”

Clarke couldn’t look her mother in the eye as she answered so she looked out her window, watching the sun rays break through the night clouds. Even the sight she loved so much could not stop the roiling sea inside her. All her secrets were being made known today. “Two months into our arrangement…after I found out. I was drunk and I was upset.”

Abby frowned and suddenly, Marcus and Monty were all ears. “What arrangement?”

“The one Finn was talking about.”

“Explain.” Abby’s tone indicated her request was not up for discussion.

“When I first met Finn, neither one of us believed in this soulmate bullshit but we were being pressured into it. He couldn’t get his inheritance until he was eighteen and Bonded. For me, well…,” Clarke left her sentence hanging and Abby nodded slightly, understanding where she was getting at. “So, we decided to pretend we were in love and we were Soulmates. It worked. Everyone left us alone and the sex was great.”

“Oh, Clarke.” Abby reached out to take Clarke’s hand but Clarke edged her hand away and her mother got the message. She wasn’t ready to be comforted at the moment. She needed to be logical and clear-headed to get through this. And, she needed her rage. Comfort would just dissolve her into a puddle of tears.

There was a silent moment as Abby and Marcus exchanged secret looks, communicating with just their eyes and some facial expressions. Clarke should be used to Abby and Marcus’ dynamics but it still made her uncomfortable, especially after what her mother had done to her father. Decisively, she put her hands on the table, inhaled sharply and put on a brave smile even though she wanted to die inside. “We can’t sit around and do nothing. We are going to hold a press conference to address the allegations Finn made against us –“

Once again, Abby’s HoloPhone interrupted with a violent vibration but this time, instead of a message, the screen flashed, indicating an incoming video call. “It’s Thelonious.”

Abby grabbed Clarke’s hand before her daughter could pull away and gave it a squeeze. Clarke inhaled and nodded, holding her mother’s hand as well. It was an awkward position, stretching over her massive desk but both women found comfort in each other, despite their differences. Abby placed her phone flat on the table and accepted the call. Immediately, Thelonious Jaha appeared on the hologram screen and nodded to Abby, Marcus and Monty before turning to face Clarke.

“Clarke Griffin, the Council has convened and we have decided that your latest media mention has threatened the company and our integrity. These allegations by Finn Collins are serious and now, public. Furthermore, we do not believe a woman unDiscovered is fit to be in the position of CEO of Research. The position requires a degree of professionalism and character which you have not shown us in the two years you have held this position. We are disappointed in how you have handled yourself, Clarke Griffin. The council has decided that unless this matter is resolved within the next two months, we see it fit to remove you from your position as CEO of Research and relinquish hold of your two-percent of shares.” And then, the screen disappeared.

“What does he mean, Mrs. Griffin?”

Monty was the first to break the silence that followed while Clarke just remained stone-faced. She had to or she would fall apart. Clarke released her mother’s hand and tucked it under her thigh to stop from shaking. She couldn’t look at anything but Abby’s now-still phone for she didn’t want to see the expressions of pity on the people she loved most. It’s so obvious, Monty. You don’t need to be a genius to see what Jaha meant but Clarke kept her thoughts to herself. Snapping at Monty wasn’t going to take away the Council’s decision.

“It means Clarke is going to lose her job if she does not Bond within the next two months. That bunch of misogynistic pigs! I am going to speak with them personally. They won’t get away with this shit.” Abby moved to get up but Marcus rested a hand on her shoulder, gently urging her back into her seat.

“They didn’t say Clarke had to Bond. All they said was to resolve the scandal. Right now, Soulmate Daily is saying the company is built on The Event. We just have to make a press statement and discredit Finn. I’ll have my people dig up some of his secrets.”

“They’re also saying I am a heartless woman who plays with people’s feelings and has no interest in Soulmates, Engagements and Bonding.” Clarke regarded the four faces of family with steel in her eyes. “It’s true. I have no interest in that forever love crap. Not after what Mom did. I am not Bonding or even getting Engaged.”

Abby tried not to roll her eyes although her expression said she had heard this argument before and she wasn’t bothered to hear it again. “Hear me out, Clarke,” Marcus began, “you don’t have to Bond. You just have to get Engaged. At least until this all dies down.”

“And then what? The Council is still expecting me to Bond.”

Clarke looked over to Monty for help but all he could do was hold her hand. He was born a male. He didn’t have worries and burdens like Discovery and Engagement Balls. “You are going to lose your position if you do not.” Her mother’s tone was firm and it incited the rebellion inside Clarke.

“Engagement is old, archaic and frankly, it should be outlawed. How is it even remotely romantic to be stared at and pawed by strangers, hunting you down just to get a look at some stupid mark? You should know. That’s where you met Dad.” The last bit was said with a sneer, hoping to get a rise out of her mother. “Was it romantic when Dad practically cornered you, stalked you and trapped you like an animal?”

“I will not have some silly schoolgirl whim and fancy ruin everything that you and I have worked for. This is not news to me, Clarke. The Council has been debating over the past couple of months to replace you with Wells. You are doing an Engagement Ball and that is final.”

The blood roared in her ears as Clarke stared blindly at her hands, now folded delicately in her lap. Wells was her best friend. Surely, he wouldn’t have agreed to do it. He knew how much she loved researching and discovering new things. Abby and Kane were discussing what the theme of her Ball should be and where it should be held. Monty was helping them, offering helpful insight into all things youthful and trendy like where the hottest places were and who were the most eligible Bondmates. But, Clarke couldn’t hear anything else except for the protests in her head.

She swallowed hard and then took a deep breath. She would be rational about this. The both of them had worked too hard to get the company where it is to let the reigning positions go to some boy who probably was going to be a puppet of his father. She couldn’t allow her mother’s sacrifices to go to waste. Clarke might resent Abby for robbing her father blind but Clarke also knew the price of hard work and success. Her mother had sacrificed her integrity to get her where she is today. Clarke would have to do it as well.

“We’ll do the Ball.”

“What was that?”

Clarke cleared her throat and held her head high. “I’ll do the Ball.”

Abby beamed and Marcus looked relieved. Instantly, the two of them began animatedly discussing the finer details of the Ball. There were caterers to be hired, crates of champagne and wine to be bought and outfits to be chosen. The more the number of dresses a Debutante had in one night, the more appealing she was. However, Monty didn’t look convinced and he slid his chair closer to Clarke.

“Are you sure about this?”

She rested her head on Monty’s shoulder and fought the tears that threatened to spill over. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She would cry when she was home. Already, she could hear the early bird employees filing into the office. She was sure that each of them carried a copy of Soulmate Daily; every flipping person in the world read the tabloid like it was their lifeline.

“What other choice do I have?”

“Let’s get you home, Clarke.” Abby was smoothing down the imaginary wrinkles in her outfit. “We have an Engagement to plan and a PR move to design.”

Sluggishly and robotically, Clarke stood up and ruffled Monty’s hair before following her mother out of her office. She felt like she was having an out-of-body experience, that someone else was controlling her movements.

Clarke vowed to herself that even though she was going to do the Engagement Ball, she would never allow herself to be Bonded. If she had to, she would pay an escort to pose as her Soulmate. She would not allow herself to get destroyed by the hurt and pain of breaking a Bond.


	2. April 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm posting this a day earlier than i would like to because i'm going to be extremely busy the final week of may and won't have time to update. as always, feedback is very much welcome.

**APRIL 9**

_Critics are calling it the Bonding of the century. Raven Reyes is to be Bonded to Kyle Wick in a lavish ceremony at the Butterfly Palace. Reyes herself has told me Bellamy Blake is to be her representative. We at Soulmate Daily can hardly wait for our exclusive invites. In other news, Bellamy Blake was seen being awfully cosy with Fai Lee last night at Dropship._

The elevator doors dinged open and Bellamy moved swiftly, heading for his office. Normally, he would stop to greet everyone he encountered along the way but, he was already late. He needed to pick his conquests more carefully. He had wasted his morning trying to get her to leave. Apparently, she thought she was being adorable by making him chase her around his penthouse. She didn’t get that he was serious about her leaving. Bellamy did not do one-night stands or girlfriends. That was the only thing that the media had gotten right about him.

Then, she had wasted some more time by not wanting to get into the limousine that he had so generously called for her. _“Why can’t I stay another night?”_ Her whine still rang in his ears and he cringed inwardly. How did he ever think she looked like the personification of Aphrodite, he would never find out. Perhaps it was the lighting at Dropship and the significant amount of alcohol he had ingested. However, he did remember making it absolutely clear that he wasn’t looking for anything other than a night of bliss and fun.

“Good morning, Mr. Blake,” Hannah, the office receptionist, greeted as he breezed past her on his way to join in the cacophony of congratulations and praise that resonated from the floor.

“Call me Bellamy.” Although he had told her to call him Bellamy so many times that he had lost count, he humoured Hannah who reminded him of his mother.

The rest of the office greeted him in a chorus of cheers of good mornings and was punctuated with Harper’s success as he walked in. He peeked over at Harper’s HoloScreen and barked a laugh. She had successfully bought a seventy-percent stake at Frost and Company, a department store corporation that he had been trying to woo for months. Normally, he would probably spend a good half of his day celebrating with his crew but he had a conference call that he needed to attend to immediately. So, he said quick congratulations, gave Harper a slap on the back and promised her a bonus.

Bellamy entered his office to find Octavia, Miller and Jasper lounging on his furniture. “Holy crap,” he mumbled to himself as he settled behind his desk, setting his briefcase on the floor. He had forgotten that he had called for them first thing in the morning to present their status reports as well as update him on the Mount Weather division.

Octavia was in her customary chair directly in front of Bellamy’s desk with her feet thrown over the arm rest although he had lectured multiple times that her boots would scuff the leather. Jasper was perched on Bellamy’s desk, flirting unsuccessfully with Octavia while Miller was stretched out on his favourite couch by the windows, reading one of Bellamy’s Greek mythology classics. _They’re like a bloody pack of wolves_ , Bellamy thought.

“Looks like The Prince finally decided to grace us with his presence.” That was the tone Octavia always used with him when she was annoyed. She didn’t look up but continued to scroll through her HoloPhone. “What happened? You got run over by a pack of girls thinking you’re their Soulmate?”

“I’m sorry. She made me play catch in the apartment. I haven’t played catch since you hit puberty.” He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, as if this sort of thing happened every day.

“That girl you went home with last night?” Jasper slid off the desk and into the chair next to Octavia’s. She just rolled her eyes. “I tried to warn you, man, but you wouldn’t listen.”

Bellamy didn’t humour Jasper, not wanting to continue the conversation on another clingy conquest. He rolled his shoulders, straightened and fired up his HoloScreen. “Pleasantries over. Begin.”

However, there was silence. Frowning, he looked expectantly at the three wolves, waiting for one of them to say something even as his screen flooded with email notifications and progress updates. But, they just stared at him. “This is where you all begin talking…,” Bellamy prompted.

Octavia looked at Jasper who in turn looked at Miller who looked back at Octavia but neither of them would meet his eyes. They usually bickered on who got to present first. Octavia had once single-handedly shoved both Jasper and Miller out of the room because they refused to be silent when she was speaking. Eventually, they had drawn up a chart detailing which day of the week they got to speak first but none of them stuck to it. Secretly, Bellamy enjoyed their petty banter. “Earth to the Fates. We have work to do.”

Silence and then Bellamy sighed in frustration. “If you don’t have anything to say, get out and get to work.” Still, the threat in his voice didn’t prompt them to speak. He raised a brow. “You guys usually cannot shut up. What is with you three?”

Then, Jasper and Miller looked at Octavia in unison. The blinking red square in the corner of his screen indicated that there was an incoming call. This video conference call with Monroe and Fox in Mount Weather, he really needed to answer. Quickly, he texted them to say that he was being held up and would reschedule. Frustrated, he was about to dismiss the three of them for wasting his time when Octavia rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air.

She jumped out of her seat and yelled at Jasper and Miller. “When it comes down to convincing Bellamy to attend a party, _I_ have to do it. Why? Is it because I’m a girl? Are you boys scared shitless? I can’t believe I have to work with you!”

“Hurry up, guys.” It was no secret that Bellamy hated attending parties. They usually had to push, prod and cajole him into attending anything and if they had such a difficult time deciding who should bring it up, this one had to be a high-society one. He hated them the most, especially Engagement Balls. All the young and eligible debutantes seemed to throw themselves at him even though he had made it very clear that he was not interested. However, he was forced attend them and pretend he was having fun if he didn’t want to be a social outcast.

On the other hand, parties at nightclubs with pretty young starlets were a whole different story. Those, Bellamy loved and he didn’t care if the media called him “a heart-breaking man-whore.”

Before Jasper or Miller could reply, and Bellamy knew they were raring to go for they both had gotten out of their seats, he interjected, “Come on; let’s get it over with so we can get to more important matters. What party am I forced to endure this time?”

Octavia handed him a golden card, the sun reflecting off the shiny material and almost blinding him. Gold meant that it was even more important than Bellamy had expected and he cringed. “That came for you and me today. It’s from Raven.”

Bellamy’s heart instantly felt much lighter when he learned that it was Raven and not some society-bred debutante. No matter how many times he told the media that he intended to never find his Soulmate, every girl in TonDC seemed to think that she would be the one to change his mind. And if he wanted to remain in society’s good graces and the debutantes’ investor fathers in his pockets, he had no choice.

However, even though it was his best friend’s Bonding, Bellamy had an impending deadline on Mount Weather’s flagship Blake Department Store. Fox’s last report hadn’t been too optimistic as shipments for the light fixtures were delayed and it was too short notice to order the specific lighting he wanted from a different supplier.

His objection to attendance must have shown on his face for before he could get the words out, Octavia said, “You can’t back out of it anyway. She accidentally on purpose made it public and now everyone’s expecting you to turn up. To back out would mean social suicide for you and for the company.”

“That’s what I have you and Monroe for.” Bellamy was confident in Octavia and Monroe’s abilities as his public relations team to sneak him out of attending Raven’s Bonding Party. He couldn’t afford to miss any time off work. For fuck’s sake, he had to head out to the Mount Weather in two weeks. He always made sure that he was onsite for the final touches to any project and this department store was going to be his pride and joy.

“We’re not bailing you out this time, Bell.” Octavia took the card from his fingers and flipped it open, almost shoving it at him. “Raven says that if you don’t go, she will ruin you beyond reasonable doubt. She says that if I try to bail you out, she won’t invite me to any more parties.”

“We have a deadline to meet.” Bellamy was on the edge of becoming as whiny as the model he had just put into the limousine.

“Raven also says your deadline is not an excuse. She has seen you work with shorter time frames.” The smirk that Octavia wore said she agreed with Raven and Bellamy couldn’t deny it. He was well-known for working on the tightest schedules.

He knew that there was no way he would be winning this argument and the more he thought about it, the more he felt an obligation to be Raven’s representative. She had no other family save for him and Clarke Griffin. “Fine,” he said grudgingly. “If I have to go, the rest of you are coming as well. The more the merrier, right?”

None of them looked particularly bothered that they also had to attend Raven’s Bonding Party. In fact, they looked ecstatic, especially Miller and Jasper. Although they ran in society circles, they weren’t high enough on the food chain to warrant an invite and knowing Raven, it would be a highly intimate affair. Bellamy hardly doubted Soulmate Daily was going to get any exclusive invites and he was glad for that. One night without the paparazzi trailing him was good, even if he had to be stuck inside a ballroom.

“Don’t look so pleased about it. Those fortune hunters are going to make it hell. Your net worths are climbing and no one gives a damn about your Marks.” Bellamy’s grumbling did nothing to deter their excitement. They were practically vibrating with energy. Inside Bellamy’s office, they didn’t have to care about appearing professional. “It’s like no one gives a shit about Soulmates anymore.”

“Look who’s talking.”

Bellamy had a retort ready but he bit his tongue. It was true. He didn’t care about Soulmates. His mother’s Soulmate had left her and he never knew who had fathered him. Hell, he and Octavia didn’t even have the same father but Bellamy knew he was lucky to have been born with a penis between his legs. He had witnessed first-hand at Raven’s first engagement party how men had leered at Octavia and tried to get a glimpse of the Mark she sported behind her ear. She had only been sixteen, hardly anywhere near her Discovery.

There was nothing she could do to escape but shuffle closer to Bellamy who had kept her protectively by his side ever since. He wouldn’t allow his baby sister to go through the disgusting, archaic practice of Engagement or even Bonding. Fuck Soulmates. It was a stupid idea anyway that some stupid Mark defined the person you spent the rest of your life with. “Monogamy is unnatural” was Bellamy’s motto.

Bellamy shrugged nonchalantly in surrender and Octavia smirked, knowing that she had the last word. “Get back to work. All of you.”

The excited grins were still plastered on their faces as they presented their morning reports. Bellamy had never heard a more enthusiastic briefing and it amused him. Now, he knew what it took to boost team morale. “Sky Constructions are practically begging for us to buy them over. I’m heading to their office later today to meet with the president. Hopefully, we’ll get a deal by the end of today,” Nathan Miller, Chief Executive of Acquisitions reported. He handed Bellamy a thick file. “Meryl and Bros. are a shipping company and they’re going public.”

“I’ll let you know tomorrow morning if Blake and Co. is interested.” Miller nodded and then left the room. He had a plane to catch.

Bellamy turned to Jasper Jordan, Chief Executive of Human Resources, and without needing to be told, he gave his report. “Vie Electronics are threatening to go on strike. It appears that they want Victor back as president. They said that they’re going to steal all the parts in the middle of the night.”

“That son of a bitch is the one who drove the company to bankruptcy.” Bellamy shook his head but he understood loyalty. His three vice presidents were the most loyal people he knew and so were those who worked for him on the floor.

“That’s what I told them.” Jasper flipped through his HoloPad. “I even told them they’d all get criminal records if they stole parts. They said they didn’t care. Victor was all that mattered.”

Bellamy frowned. Such a threat was not one that the group could have come up with collectively. There had to be an instigator and he was certain that it was Victor or someone in his pocket. “Find who started it and fire him immediately. Tell them that we run the show now and if they don’t like it, offer them a nice compensation package.”

Bellamy turned to Octavia, surprised that she had let the other two go first but his surprise turned into amusement when he caught the excited gleam in her eyes. “So, you’re too oblivious to have heard it but Clarke Griffin is all over the news today!” Bellamy couldn’t see where she was going with this but he nodded in acknowledgement. “Apparently, The Prick dumped her and Soulmate Daily has the exclusive.”

“How is this relevant to the company, O?” She was never this obtuse about anything. Normally, she couldn’t wait to get her report over and done with so she didn’t have to sit in Bellamy’s office any longer.

“I knew you didn’t read it! The Prick said something about Griffin Medical that you would be really interested in.” From the tote at her feet, Octavia pulled out a fresh copy of Soulmate Daily and Bellamy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was her job to watch for the latest trends but she read Soulmate Daily like the Bible. She flipped to her desired page and slid the tabloid in front of Bellamy. “Harper told me earlier that their share prices have dropped. It seems that people want her out of there.”

“He’s going to ruin her like he did Raven. And this time, he has his position to help him.”

Only Bellamy and Octavia knew about Raven and Finn’s secret relationship and how Raven had come to be Clarke’s best friend. At first, Raven was only Clarke’s friend because she wanted to see the woman that Finn had dumped her for but as she got to know the girl behind the glass wall, Raven found that she and Clarke were not so different.

Octavia shrugged. “You’ve wanted to take down Jaha since forever. Now’s our chance. She won’t lose her job if we move in. Only Jaha would. Plus, we don’t have a hospital or a research facility yet. This could be a good move for Blake and Co. It shows that we care about more than just profits.”

A smirk formed on Bellamy’s lips and he resisted the urge to rub his hands together like an evil villain. “Miller also says that Griffin Medical is financially sound so we won’t have much work to do. Jaha is the only problem there so once we get rid of it, we’ll be running it smoothly.”

Bellamy frowned slightly as something just came to mind. “Isn’t Abby Griffin the president?”

Octavia shook her head. “Abby’s only president of the hospital. Jaha and the Council run the research facility which totally sucks because Abby should have put Clarke in that position but Clarke only holds a two percent share. The rest of the board hold five percent with Jaha holding ten. It’s apparently the arrangement since Abby started the company.”

 _Ah, typical Jaha. Taking advantage of widowed women since the beginning of time_ , Bellamy thought as the gears turned in his head. It had to be a subtle takeover and no one could know except his top executives. Although he pushed his security hard to get rid of any rival spies, the business of spying was becoming more sophisticated and it was harder to pick them out.

“Hostile takeover, then?”

Octavia smirked. “They’ll never know what hit them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promise bellarke in the next chapter.


	3. April 11, 2:45AM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is lengthy, phew. please enjoy it. i put loads of love into this chapter. there may be medical discrepancies but i did my best to research and my beta and i are only human. mistakes are to be directed to my inbox. please review! i am the review monster. omnomnom.

**SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2:45AM**

_Drop everything that you’re doing because Clarke Griffin, at twenty-one, is finally throwing her first Engagement Ball! While most people would have their first Ball at sixteen, Clarke was already in university, studying to become a doctor. At eighteen, she became vice-president of Griffin Medical’s research division. Finally, she’s becoming a lady! I hear that she’s got renowned fashion designer, Lulu to prepare her wardrobe and an inside source tells me that she has twenty dresses and counting!_

_It seems that invitations are only going out to the elite and deserving. That’s exactly what Griffin’s Engagement planner said when we called about invites. But don’t worry, as always, we will get the scoop._

“Sir, I need you to sit down so I can assess you before you see Dr Griffin. Sir, you are scaring the other patients. I have to call security if you don’t behave.”

“Don’t touch me! What do you mean I have to wait? I’m Bellamy-fucking-Blake. People wait for me!”

Clarke had only met Bellamy once in her life, despite running in the same circles. It was at Raven Reyes’ last Engagement Ball and she had found him to be just another arrogant man in the sea of arrogant men. He had looked at her as if she wasn’t fit to be in his presence when Jaha had took her over to where he stood with a bunch of his friends and made introductions. Much to Clarke’s horror, he then turned away without so much as a handshake. Later than night, she had confided in Raven about how Bellamy was an asshole and she finally understood why the media loved him so much. Her best friend has just frowned, much to Clarke’s confusion for Raven often criticised Bellamy’s media appearances.

Now, Clarke wished she had choked him senseless the first time they had met because she really wanted to do it right now. However, she couldn’t because it was late at night and she didn’t want to scare her patients into thinking she was crazy. Also, she knew less messy ways to kill a man. Gleefully, Clarke thought about the drug that she was currently developing for the company but still, she had to do something about the bastard’s behaviour. Not only was he dripping blood onto the clean hospital floor, he was piss drunk and swearing like a sailor. She could smell the alcohol on him from across the waiting room.

She had spent a whole day trying on dress after dress, taking away from her time in the labs. Clarke was exhausted but if she stopped working, she would think about Finn and her current predicament and it would make her morose and then, she would toss and turn in her bed until she gave herself a headache and be no closer to sleep. She wasn’t going to let that son of a bitch ruin her life and all that she had worked for so when she heard that one of the emergency room doctors had a family emergency, she immediately offered to fill in for him.

Usually, Clarke left the nurses to calm down patients because everyone knew that Clarke was murderous when her waiting room was threatened. However, Lithia’s furrowed brows and excessive lip chewing as she peered into Clarke’s consultation room for help was the last straw. Perhaps the scariest nurse on the graveyard shift, Lithia was famous for getting uncooperative patients to eat out of her hand.

“Bellamy-fucking-Blake waits for no one. Now, bring me a doctor or I will take legal action. I am dying here!” Despite the copious amount of blood on his shirt and face, he hardly looked like a man who was dying. Clarke crossed her arms and watched as he spun arrogantly, almost smacking Lithia in the face with an outstretched arm. The other was wrapped around his torso and for a moment, she wondered if he had any broken bones.

Completing his turn, he spotted Clarke in her white coat and smirked. Clarke and Bellamy faced each other across the waiting room, like a pair of cowboys about to duel. She hoped she looked bored and unaffected while Bellamy looked like an angry bull or rather, a spoilt brat. “You. Doctor. Come here. I think I broke my finger.”

“Doing what? Masturbating? Did you break your tiny prick as well?” Clarke looked pointedly at his crotch. She shifted her weight from her right to her left leg but didn’t move any closer to Bellamy.

Some of the waiting patients covered their mouths in laughter or scandal while those with children pressed their hands over the little ears. Clarke regretted it the moment the sarcastic remark slipped from her lips but she had had a long day and couldn’t resist taunting the drunk, entitled social prince. This was why she was better suited to the research lab than the operating room. However, her medical oath meant she should immediately attend to his injuries. After all, he appeared to be bleeding profusely, his ribs might be bruised or broken and he was clearly in bad shape compared to her other non-bleeding patients.

Bellamy strode to stand right in front of her, his eyes blazing with annoyance and…amusement. She could feel the stares of the patients as they watched the exchange between two of society’s darlings. Clarke met him stare-for-stare, her arms crossed and her lips tilted slightly. She had dealt with enough troublesome patients to not be fazed by this display of…Bellamy-pride. She was proud that she even maintained any composure at his next words for a lesser woman would have burst into undignified laughter.

“I am king of the world and you will give me what I want, peasant.”

Suddenly, a flash of light caught her attention and Clarke groaned, her shoulders crumpling. Bellamy let out a triumphant whoop until he realised why he had won. The hospital guards were doing their best to keep the flashing cameras out of the waiting room but Clarke had no doubt this would make the morning tabloids. The press would have a field day further vilifying her.

“Lithia, please make sure I don’t kill him.” She gestured Bellamy in the general direction of her room and he shuffled slowly in. It was rude and against her oath to forcefully drag him into her consultation room no matter how much she wanted to. Plus, he could be seriously injured and yanking him into her room would aggravate those injuries. So, Clarke kept her arms crossed and her hands curled, digging crescents into her palms.

Lithia took her customary spot a few steps to Clarke’s right so as to not be in her way but within her reach if she needed any help. Clarke guided Bellamy onto the hospital bed and took his chin gently between her fingers. “Now we’re talking. I don’t like my women rough but for you, Doc, I’ll make an exception.”

She rolled her eyes as she gently tilted his head this way and that and found the source of all the blood. It came from a partially-healed cut on his forehead that looked like someone had punched him right into a wall. She ran her hand through his hair, pushing his unruly curls off his forehead to get a better look and found that she rather liked the feel of his hair under her fingers.

Clarke winced visibly at the copious amount of blood that decorated his skin. It looked much more serious than she had expected. However, she didn’t find any other wounds save for a few scratches that were not serious enough to have caused all the blood. “You should have seen the other guy. Don’t worry, Doc. It’s not mine. It’s just my finger that’s bothering me.”

This time, he sounded less cocky and more…defeated. Instantly, all of Clarke’s murderous desires gave way to professional concern. She might not have chosen to ultimately practice medicine but she still was a certified doctor. That meant compartmentalising her urge to strangle Bellamy and focus on getting him well and healthy. “I’m going to deal with your wounds first. Just hang in there, okay?” Clarke offered him a smile.

The magazines and tabloids didn’t do his good looks any justice. Up close, he was a Greek god…well, not exactly but close enough. Clarke had once seen a sculpture of Adonis in the museum and she thought Bellamy looked rather like him. Even under all that blood and dirt, he still made her heart skip a beat. In fact, it made him all the more handsome, lending his debonair looks a hint of danger and adventure. She hated herself as well for spending a second longer than necessary in his blood-matted locks just so she could keep her hands on him.

For a split second, Clarke imagined what it would be like to date Bellamy. They would be two very influential people in the circle of elites, smiling and posing for the cameras and then laughing about it back home. Immediately, she dropped Bellamy’s hand and he yelped and hissed his disapproval, glaring venomously at Clarke. “I’m sorry.” She offered him an apologetic smile. She was a better doctor than this. _He’s not Finn. He might be a womanising prick like Finn but he is not Finn. And right now, he is your patient._

“Something…startled me.” It was a lousy excuse but she couldn’t come up with anything. Not when she was reminded so clearly of the predicament she was in. “Well, your thumb is clearly broken. I can’t do much except put it into a splint and make an appointment for you to see an orthopaedist.”

She turned to Lithia and told her to get her the things she needed to patch up Bellamy. As the nurse left, she turned to Bellamy and said, “What did you do? Steal some guy’s girlfriend? Or did you get into some drunken fight over who could take the latest starlet home?”

“What are you, my psychologist? I just need you to fix me up so I can go home.” Bellamy added silently, _so I can get drunk some more_. She wasn’t very far off the mark but there was no use for him to correct her for it sounded like she had already made up her mind about him. He had been spoiling for a fight and The Prick had been in the right place. He couldn’t care less if it made its way into the tabloids; in fact, that would be better because it would take attention off his mistakes.

He had lost two of his most promising companies in one day…to each other! Bellamy could still hear the fear in Miller’s voice as he burst into his office earlier that day without preamble.

“We’ve just lost Intracorp.”

“What do you mean we’ve lost Intracorp?”

Miller was breathless. “Hostile takeover,” was all he had to say.

“We’ve had them for months and now someone decides on a takeover?! That’s ridiculous. We offered them more than anyone on the market would pay for. It isn’t my birthday and I have a strict policy against April Fool’s jokes, especially belated ones.”

Miller grabbed the remote control off Bellamy’s desk and turned on the HoloPro, instantly displaying the share prices for Intracorp which had lowered dramatically over the past few months.

As his eyes took in the numbers, Bellamy’s heart dropped to his stomach. He forced his expression impassive but his fingers couldn’t stop drumming a staccato pattern on the table. “We believe that it was an inside job. One of our employees on the Marsh project. Jasper is going through the records right now and Octavia’s trying to keep this story out of the papers.”

At that exact moment, Jasper burst into the room and skidded to a stop before Bellamy’s desk. In any other circumstances, Bellamy would have found it comical how Jasper was able to that but at the moment, he felt like throwing a rage and smashing everything that he could find. Marsh & Sons Shipping was supposed to be the star of his shipping division while Intracorp, a small time software developing company, was the risk that he had been advised to take. He should have suspected that Marsh was going to launch a hostile takeover on Intracorp. Especially since Marsh’s acquisition had been without hiccups.

“Three of our employees in accounting and one in human resources all said that Marsh and Intracorp had offered them a very lucrative package if they helped them break free from Blake and Co.” Jasper looked queasy as he made his report. “In fact, they said that Marsh and Intracorp were in it together since the beginning. That’s why Marsh had been so easy to acquire. Hell, Xav Marsh had practically handed us his company on a silver platter.”

“You’re not going to like this but Marsh had used the funds we channelled in to carry out the takeover. That’s how they were able to, even though they were almost bankrupt.” Miller pressed a button, displaying the charts that contained his preliminary analysis of the situation. “We should have kicked the bastards out the moment we acquired them both.”

Jasper shook his head. “It wouldn’t have worked. The employees knew what to do without him and —Fuck, it was the smoothest operation ever. We tried but we couldn’t save it. The deal was done.”

“I’ve managed to keep the story out of the papers and the magazines for now. I promised them that we had something big up our sleeves and if they printed this story, they weren’t getting a single detail out of us about anything else.” Octavia looked pleased with herself but that couldn’t be said of the other three in the room.

Jasper raised a brow. “But we don’t have anything big.”

“Hello? The Griffin project?”

“We’re not going to go public with that. Not until we’ve actually acquired Griffin Medical.” Bellamy had been silent up till now as he contemplated what both Miller and Jasper had told him. It was fucking rookie mistake and he wasn’t a rookie.

“I’m not stupid, Bell.” Octavia looked ready to jam the pencil in her fingers into Bellamy’s neck.

He sighed and ploughed his fingers through his hair. There was no use yelling or throwing a fit for there was nothing else they could do. Bellamy wasn’t going to waste more precious funds and his team’s time trying to get back the company. However, he did need to know how and why.

“How did we miss this? I don’t need to know who and I don’t need to know what happened. It happened. It’s done. The damage cannot be fixed. We move on. Now, I need to know how not to repeat it. How did we miss it? How did we not see our employees were being bought? Why were we not alerted the moment Marsh started acquiring our shares? What were their motivations? Who is behind all of it? Marsh is not a genius and neither is Carl. There must have been someone else.” Bellamy tapped his pen against his desk, the rhythm loud in the silence that followed his questions.

“What are you all still standing there for? I don’t pay you to worship me. Go!”

The four of them had worked after hours along with Harper, going through their records and trying to minimise the damage. At half past two, Octavia complained that the words were swimming before her eyes and she wasn’t paid enough to do this. Miller and Jasper had begun snapping at each other like attention-starved puppies and Harper was practically sprawled across her desk like she was hungover. Bellamy had felt too grumpy to continue working and decided to call it a night. The others were only too grateful.

Getting drunk and shit-faced had been his original plan but not punching Finn Collins. Although it had been very satisfying. _And now here I am. Drunk and flirting with Clarke Griffin. You’ve really got your shit together, Bell._

Looking up at Clarke, Bellamy switched gears and said, “Why? Do you want to be fought over? I can arrange that but you’re going to have to play a damsel in distress. You’re too much of a spitfire to allow yourself to be fought over. You’d probably be doing the fighting.”

Bellamy thought he heard Clarke chuckle but everything was a blur, the pain in his finger and in his ribs clouding his vision with every movement. Clarke’s cool fingers on his skin were a much needed balm and if he weren’t in so much pain, he was quite sure that his drunken brain would have tried to pull her closer. He relished in her closeness, the fluorescent light bouncing off her hair and reminding him of sunshine. And don’t even talk about how she smelled: like vanilla and the woods. It was an earthy, rich and mellow scent that was at odds with his spitfire woman. _Wait, when did she become mine?_

“Were you drinking to numb the pain or were you just drinking?”And then, she left the room without waiting for his reply, leaving him with an empty feeling in his heart. It was as if the sun had disappeared behind the clouds. Just as quickly as she left, Clarke returned with a glass of water and gently pressed it into his right hand before picking up a clipboard and scribbling furiously on it. “You stink too much like alcohol for me to concentrate.”

It was an offhanded comment that seemed so typical of Raven that he couldn’t help but chuckle softly. The little laugh made his ribs hurt and he groaned loudly, pressing his fingers into his side. Immediately, Clarke dropped the clipboard and impatiently pushed away his hand. For some reason, Bellamy’s brain told him to push her away and that was what he did. Clearly, Clarke was used to patients rejecting her advances when she placed her hands on his ribs once more, her fingers probing lightly. With a sigh and what sounded to his ears like hesitation, she said, “I’m going to need you to take off your shirt.”

“Well, you could have said that earlier and we could have avoided all this awkward stuff. Now, how do you want me?” Bellamy grinned up at her flirtatiously or what he hoped was flirtatious, considering how fuzzy his head was. He was surprised that he still retained his ability to flirt, albeit badly. Still, he complied and unbuttoned his shirt, wincing at the pain that flared along his left and hissing as Clarke’s cool fingers slid it off his back. And then, he waited.

Clarke was frozen in place, her hand hovering over his shoulder from where she had pushed his shirt off and her breath caught in her throat. If Clarke were a cartoon, she’d be salivating. Finn had been beautiful, like a piece of canvas that an artist would want to paint on (and she certainly painted him with her tongue) but Bellamy was…Clarke couldn’t find the appropriate words in her head. All she could imagine were her favourite statues of gods and heroes in the museum, their beauty harsh yet elegant. She also could not understand the insane compulsion to press her lips to his skin to see if it was as warm as it felt under her fingers.

Clarke knew that she and Finn had not been intimate for the past couple of months but she wasn’t _that_ desperate for sex. Besides, she wasn’t looking to be another notch in his bedpost. Still, from the rumours that she had heard, sex with Bellamy Blake would be phenomenal.

Bellamy cleared his throat, interrupting her thoughts and said, “Like what you see, princess?”

That was all it took to snap Clarke out of her thoughts. She didn’t grace him with an answer; she ducked her head to hide the blush she could feel creeping up her cheeks as she ran her fingers along Bellamy’s side. However, he was hunched over in an effort to alleviate the pain and she couldn’t conduct a proper examination with him in that position. If staring at his bare chest in shadow wasn’t enough, she was now forced to see it bathed in light. “I know it’s going to hurt but I need you to lie back.”

“Are you sure you aren’t remotely interested in what you see? I can be real quiet and I don’t disappoint.”

“I am more interested in not having a lawsuit on my head than whatever you have to offer. I’m sure it’s been sampled more times than I can count so you don’t need my opinion.”

With a pout, Bellamy lay down on the hospital bed and although the pain in his ribs was enough to make him see stars, it wasn’t an entirely unpleasant experience. Clarke’s hand was pressed firmly into his back and another was on his side, doing her best to make it hurt less. Her hair fell onto his chest and shoulders as she did so and he was enveloped in a cloud of her subtle perfume and sunshine.

Both Clarke and Bellamy were equally silent as Clarke allowed herself a moment of appreciation, her fingers glossing over his abdomen, tracing the hard muscles that had made half of Tondc swoon when a photograph of him on the beach had surfaced. At her exploring, Bellamy sucked in a sharp breath and willed his body to not react to her closeness. As usual, it never listened to him. So, Bellamy hoped very hard that Clarke was more focused on finding out if he had broken ribs than checking out his package.

Clarke, on the other hand, was more absorbed with hiding her reddening cheeks. She had examined patients with fewer clothes on and she had never felt this flustered. She reached the bruised and possibly broken ribs and she felt a little disappointed; her exploring was over far too quickly. With more force than necessary, she prodded the swollen area and Bellamy let out a pained groan and then he regretted it for Clarke’s fingers were gone. There was no way he was going to get them back unless he admitted how much he liked it and that was probably crossing the drunken flirtation line.

“Well, you’re in luck. You don’t have any broken ribs that I can feel or see but I’m going to mark that down in your file anyway so that the orthopaedist can check it out. All you are going to need it an icepack on the area every couple of hours and you should be fine.”

Clarke helped Bellamy sit up and once again, he was assaulted with sunshine and vanilla. He offered her what was his most charming smile. “I’d rather have you check me out than the orthopaedist.”

At that moment, Lithia returned with bandages, creams and antiseptic wash, saving Clarke any efforts at small talk. Bellamy, however, did not appreciate the nurse’s interruption and proceeded to glower at her. “Thank you, Lithia. You may go back to your work. I’ll call for you if I get any more murderous intentions.”

Bellamy grinned as the sharp tang of antiseptic and the noise of bandages being ripped open filled the room. Clarke doused a cotton ball in antiseptic and began cleaning the cuts on his forehead, causing him to hiss sharply in pain. She heard Lithia call from the waiting room as she walked past, “I hope that isn’t the sound of murder.”

Clarke laughed softly and Bellamy found that he wanted to make her laugh like that again. But he was out of jokes. “Why’d you ask her to leave? Did you want me all to yourself? You can admit it, princess. I promise not to tell anyone. Your secret will be safe with me.”

In revenge, Clarke pressed another cotton ball soaked in antiseptic against his forehead wound and elicited another hiss from Bellamy’s lips. Then, she smoothed some sort of cool cream over the wound and secured it with a bandage. “Are you always this chatty?” she asked as she grabbed a basin, filled it with water and began to clean Bellamy’s hand, taking care to not hurt his broken finger.

“Come and kiss my boo boos better. Maybe then I’ll stop” The fuzziness in Bellamy’s head brought on by the copious amounts of alcohol he had consumed convinced him that flirting with Clarke was a good idea although he didn’t think that it was going so well. Lithia snorted, passing by the consultation room and peeking in. Bellamy thought that she might have a crush on him…or maybe she noticed the sizeable tent in his pants. _Shit_.

Clarke on the other hand, didn’t think it was very funny as she was sorely tempted to kiss the smug look off Bellamy’s face just to see if he tasted as good as he smelled...Or, as good as he could smell while covered in his own blood. “That wouldn’t be a very good patient-doctor relationship, Mr. Blake.”

“Why not? Patients and doctors have relationships all the time. You could definitely play the sexy doctor.” Bellamy looked rather pleased with himself for coming up with that. He had seen enough movies of the adult kind, to know what he should say. He winked at her and gestured to his naked torso. “Oh look, we’ve already begun.”

“Mr. Blake, we are not in a pornography and I am not remotely interested with having a relationship with you, even if we knew each other well enough. I like stability and fidelity. You, unfortunately, would provide me with neither. So, I would have to decline.”

“You mean like what you had with Finn Collins?” Immediately, Bellamy knew that was the wrong thing to say for Clarke stiffened visibly, her hands stilling for a split second. After that, all attempts to get her to speak to him were ignored and she finished applying the splint with extreme efficiency. Bellamy mourned the loss of her cool fingers and the faint scent of vanilla that drifted from her skin as she returned to her desk and began writing sharply on his charts.

Clarke didn’t answer him for a long while as she scratched out her diagnosis and filled out a prescription sheet. She couldn’t because she didn’t know what to say or rather, what to feel. She knew that she should feel angry or upset, anyone in her position would, but all she felt was numbness. This was how it is and no matter what she felt, it wouldn’t change so it was better not to feel anything at all. Without looking up at him, Clarke replied, “Not like what I had with Finn.”

“I’m sorry for what happened.”

Clarke couldn’t tell if he was talking about the break-up or the scandalous article and all that came with it so she just shrugged.

Bellamy put his shirt back on with some difficulty, wincing more for dramatic effect than in actual pain. When she finally looked up at him, an aloof, professional smile was on her lips. She got up and held out her hand as if waiting for a handshake. “Lithia will help you make an appointment and I am prescribing you painkillers. Don’t forget to use an icepack if your ribs hurt. I hope you get well soon.”

“I’m sure a kiss will make all the hurt go away.” Bellamy tried one last time as he took the proffered hand but Clarke just rolled her eyes in response. With a lazy grin, he raised her hand to his lips and planted a feather-light kiss to the back of her fingertips. All the while, his eyes were on hers, daring and taunting.

The kiss was so light that if Clarke hadn’t been watching him, she wouldn’t have noticed. It was the singular most erotic thing to happen to her in a long while. Without thinking, she yanked her hand back and Bellamy’s grin widened. _Crap_ , she thought. He executed a mock bow and even with all the blood and dishevelment, he looked like a prince; albeit, an insolent one. “Good day, Ms. Griffin. I take it you’ll be attending Raven Reyes’ Bonding?”

“Why does it matter to you?”

“I would like to see you again.”

Clarke’s expression said that she didn’t echo his sentiment. However, she knew that if she said what she was thinking, it would just make him smirk and she didn’t think she could control herself any more. So, she crossed her arms to keep them to herself and said nonchalantly, “The least you could do is learn to punch properly, if you’re going to be beating people up. Thumb goes outside of your fist, not inside.”

He was extremely close to her all of a sudden and she was forced to tilt her head back. This close to her, Bellamy could see the clear blue of her eyes and the scent of vanilla was overwhelming. He wondered if her hair would feel like sunshine. Instead, he said, “I know how to punch, princess but I might be tempted to pretend I don’t so I could see you once more.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and was about to leave when he felt Clarke’s hand on his shoulder. Composing a smile, he spun as suavely as he could but was met with her frown. “I can’t let you leave drunk. You’re going to have to stay here until the alcohol has worn off.”

“Aww, princess. You care.”

“In a professional capacity. Personally, I wish you’d get run over.” Clarke met his eyes haughtily, her chin tilted up and her arms crossed.

Bellamy laughed softly and winked at her. “Don’t worry. I’m not that drunk.”

“You can’t –“

However, he was already out the door and immediately flanked by bodyguards, shielding him from the paparazzi and any other cameras.

 _Fuck_. Both Bellamy and Clarke thought it at the same time as they walked away from each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promise more clarke in the next chapter. also, the next chapter will be later than usual because of school work.


	4. Rule 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, i am the review monster omnomnomreviewsomnomnom

**Rule 34: The Initial Meeting**

_When first meeting your soulmate, refrain from all inappropriate touching to better maintain decorum and virtue. Many have reported experiencing an overwhelming feeling of lust, caused by the soulmate bond upon their first meeting. While the common woman may give in to their baser instincts, it is unseemly for a well-bred young lady to inappropriately touch her soulmate. That is what the Bonding night is for._

-  _Madam’s Soulmate Guide for Young Ladies_

**“Pick up, Sand. Pick up. God, this can’t be happening to me. Of all days.”**

Clarke tried her assistant for the nth time that morning; she wasn’t late but she had received an urgent message from Sandy as she left her apartment. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she crossed the vast lobby, expertly avoiding people. In her other hand was a mug of hot coffee. She didn’t have to look up to see where she was going. She had made this journey daily for the past four years. The access card she wore around her neck would scan her through security imme—

 _SMACK!_   Hot coffee spilled down her hand and wrist, staining her shirtsleeve. “Shit!” Her collision with the glass barrier and cussing was loud enough that everyone in the lobby turned to stare at her. She refused to allow her cheeks to colour as she slid her phone into her pocket and pressed her card against the scanner. It came up red again.

Frowning, she turned to the security guard who eyed her like she was a criminal. This was getting more embarrassing by the second as people walked past her, all flashing green. “It worked fine last week.”

“Please allow me to check that for you.” He wasn’t a guard she recognised. Internal security took their job very seriously and never used the same guards each week. He took the card from her and disappeared into the security office, leaving Clarke to stand awkwardly in the lobby, unsure of where to go and what to do. This had never happened to her before. It never happened to anyone except employees who were fired.

 _Maybe they just changed the cards and forgot to give me mine._ She knew it was perhaps the most farfetched answer she could give herself. She was vice-president; she’d be one of the first few to get a new card.

Clarke wondered what was taking the security guard so long. He was wasting her precious time. She had to go to a dress fitting after lunch (a compromise she made with her mother) and she wanted to get as much research done as possible.

She walked over to the office and the door creaked open just as she had been about to knock. A second security guard stood there wearing a menacing look. “Ms Griffin, you have been barred from entering Griffin Empire without an authorised escort. Please leave the premises immediately or I will have to remove you forcefully.” His tone matched his expression perfectly and there seemed to be some glee as he recited what must have been a rehearsed speech.

“What do you mean barred? My name is on the sign outside. You can’t bar me. I demand to talk to someone in charge.”

“I am in charge.”

“I’ll have you fired immediately.” Clarke held the mug with a death grip as she narrowed her eyes at the insolent fool.

“You can’t do that. You’ve been barred.”

“Then escort me into the building so I can fire you.” Clarke was tempted to throw the remainders of her coffee at his face but she might get arrested.

“No can do, ma’am. I’m not authorised to allow you in. That would get me fired.”

“That’s what I was hoping for.” She bared her teeth at him in an imitation of a liger she once saw at the zoo. It was childish but Clarke was furious...and though she wouldn’t admit it, freaking out. She could keep a cool head when dealing with crises inside her laboratory and even with management problems but this...she was lost.

The security guard wasn’t intimidated and Clarke grudgingly admitted that management had done a good job with the security team. No one would ever get past Joe the Security Guard and his team of security guard cronies. Defeated, she tried not to let her shoulders slump as she pulled out her phone and called her mother. _She_ was top-level and could get her in.

She had an odd feeling in the bottom of her stomach that something clearly was wrong as the dial tone beeped in her ear. _Beep_. She hadn’t been able to reach Sand when had called her from the office phone not too long ago. _Beep._ She had been barred from entering the building. _Beep_. What kind of sick practical joke was this?

“Hi, mom.”

 

 

  **“Suspended?! Did I hear you clearly? Suspended?!”**

“Only temporarily. Until the medi—”

“We’ve been fighting to keep me in this company since the very day Jaha took over the president’s chair and you’ve allowed them to win.”

“I had no—”

Clarke slammed her hands on the table, cutting her mother off once again. Her palms stung at the harsh contact. “You always have no choice! You couldn’t even think to call and let me know that I was suspended.”

She examined her mother’s calm expression and felt disgusted. Her voice was a tad hurt as she said slowly, “You couldn’t even meet me in the lobby and sign me in so I didn’t have to go through...Do you even know how embarrassing it is to be denied access into your own building. In the building that I helped you build...that _Dad_ helped you build. His fucking name is on the sign!”

“Don’t bring your father up, Clarke. It’s not fair.” Abby gave Clarke a stern look but the latter just rolled her eyes.

Clarke snorted. This was her mother at her hypocritical best. “Not fair to whom? You? Yeah, you really considered fairness.”

“It’s not my fault, Clarke. I tried to get them to ignore the magazine but you know how they are, especially now that you’re linked to Bellamy Blake. Count yourself lucky to be suspended and not fired.”

“He was my patient, nothing more!” Clarke was almost shouting and her hands shook.

Clarke raked her fingers through her hair as she paced, her hands never still as they went from her hair to her hips in a repeated cycle. She had lost access to the one thing in this world she cared about the most. Her research was her baby. It was going to gain her respect, recognition and it would prove she was more than a woman trying to play scientist. She would prove that female scientists were more than just pretty objects to grace the cover of magazines, wives and mothers.

With the suspension on her track record, she was never going to achieve her goals. Researchers would question her suspension. So would her peers and everyone that mattered. Couple her suspension with her gender and Clarke had the magical dream-killing combination.

“That’s not what the tabloids are saying, Clarke. They’re calling it a lover’s spat and implying a love triangle between you, Bellamy and Finn.” She tossed the day’s Soulmate Daily onto her desk, the front cover featuring Clarke and Bellamy at the hospital, the photograph taken from an angle suggesting the two were more than acquaintances. “Much less on hospital grounds. Now the facility is linked to both of you instead of the work that we do.”

Clarke stared in horror at the magazine, picking it up and quickly reading the section dedicated to the three of them. It repeated once again of the break up but this time implying that Bellamy played a pivotal role. She narrowed her eyes at her mother. “You can’t possibly believe this.”

“I don’t know what to believe. Not after your arrangement with Finn.” There was a touch of disgust and disappointment in Abby’s tone, her professional persona returning. “Did you know that you’ve just jeopardised everything we’ve been building on? Especially with the Engagement? I’ve had people calling me directly to ask if this is true. I’ve had parents decline invitations! If you want to retain your position that badly, you’d better start acting like you want it.”

“You know better than me that the tabloids are bullshit. Why won’t you believe me? It’s not real.” She punctuated her last three words with gritted teeth.

Abby’s phone rang shrilly in the silence occupying Clarke’s last words. “I have to get to work and you need to…,” Abby didn’t have an answer so she continued, “listen to me. The Council made their decision and you are suspended for the time being. At least until the media circus dies down. A condition of their suspension is privacy, no leaks to the media. I made sure of it. Kane suggested you play this suspension as a well-needed vacation. You know what to say.”

With a wave of her hand, Abby answered the ringing phone and gave her daughter no second look. Clarke realised that she had been dismissed. With clenched fists, she turned and stormed out of Abby’s office with her head held high. Faint crescents decorated her palms as she released her fists in the elevator, needing to calm herself so she could face the waiting paparazzi with her customary ice. She wanted to shed a tear but she was too angry to do so.

 

 

 

 **“It is worth much less than that. If you change your** **mind, you have my code.”** Without waiting for a response, Bellamy ended the call. He turned back to the report in front of him and was sliding the gold rim spectacles back onto the bridge of his nose when his phone began buzzing.

He smiled wickedly, knowing they could not resist his offer. After all, it was a piece of crap property no one wanted except for him. He had big dreams for it, involving a theme park. He decided to ignore the call, wanting to make them desperate and think Blake and Co. was no longer interested. _Three, two, one,_ and the buzzing stopped.

He breathed once and, it began buzzing again. It was beginning to get a little bothersome and was about to muffle the noise by hiding it in his drawer when he saw it was Octavia. Never one to hang up on his own sister, he answered it and was greeted with Octavia screeching in his ear, her excitement rattling his ear drums.

“Calm down, O. I can’t hear a thing you are saying.” It sounded like she was at a bar or a concert or both.

Octavia take a breath before she blurted out another rush of words that was a little clearer. “My source just told me that Clarke Griffin got suspended and she’s been barred from her own office because of the bad press involving you and the Prick. Now, get this. This is apparently highly classified but she needs to get a boyfriend if she wants to get back into the board’s good graces. Ridiculous, right? What does having a boyfriend have to do with her research? Which, by the way, is phenomenal. And that’s why she’s holding her first Engagement Ball now. So she can get a boyfriend, a good one. To secure her job.”

“Did I just hear you right? Clarke Griffin suspended?” Without wanting to, Bellamy felt for Clarke. He would never put Octavia through such an archaic practice, associating her worth with her femininity. “Over some stupid tabloid article?”

“Yeah. If anyone asks, they’re going to say she’s taking time off to rest and relax. They’re not going to make a public statement though.” Bellamy imagined her rolling her eyes.

“Now’s the time you make your move. You won’t like it, Bell, but you’re going to have to woo her. Like you always told me. When someone is wounded, it’s the best time to pounce. She’s at her weakest. You’ve done it billions of times, I’ve seen you do it. Do it, Bell!”

In the background, he could hear someone announce that the band was taking a break and the noise became a quiet buzz of chattering. Bellamy absently tapped his pen against the table. While he had never doubted Octavia and her sources, this seemed too good and too out of character to be true. As President and Chief Executive Officer, Bellamy would never suspend any of his Vice Presidents, much less one who had helped found and build the company, without extreme reason which usually was criminal offences. “How do you know we can trust him? I don’t want us to walk into a death trap.”

Octavia clicked her tongue impatiently and he could imagine another eye roll. It was a habit he had learned to get used to. “He is very sure and I trust him. Besides, even if you try to get in her pants, what’s the worst thing that could happen? She’ll just think you’re a bigger asshole than you already are. I say that affectionately.”

However, Bellamy didn’t want Clarke to think he was an asshole, despite being proud of his womanising ways. He liked Clarke, even though he barely knew her. She had guts and determination; she reminded him quite a bit of Octavia. Although, the things he wanted to do to her—he wasn’t as drunk as to not remember making passes at her in the hospital room—wasn’t sisterly at all. However, he could not understand his sister’s logic, or at least, he refused to. Why would he need to try to get into Clarke’s pants? Especially since her suspension or vacation-taking wasn’t public knowledge. “We will discuss this when you return to the office from wherever you are. Where is it you said you were?”

She saw right through his tactics. “I never said where I was, silly. Besides, there’s nothing to discuss. Sweep her off her feet, Bell, and you will get immediate access to Griffin’s files. It’s not like you’ve never done it before.”

She was right once again. He had dated a potential investor’s daughter just to get closer to him and when Bellamy had him eating out of his hand, he had promptly dumped her. Then, why was he so reluctant to jump on the wagon with Clarke?

He realised he had been quiet for a long while when Octavia chimed in his ear, “Bell, just imagine that you want to fuck her.”

“O!” Bellamy exclaimed, surprised that such a thing could slip from his sister’s lips. A light blinked on his table, indicating that his assistant had an important message for him. “I have to go. We will talk about this when you get back. And get back quick. Remember, tell no one. Not even Jasper and Miller.”

“I’m not an idiot.” Octavia cut the call, leaving Bellamy with a ringing tone in his ears. He waved at his secretary to come in.

“Mr Blake, Clarke Griffin is in the waiting area and she’s demanding to see you. Shall I tell security to escort her out?”

"Did she say why she was here?” _So it begins_ , Bellamy thought.

“No, she didn’t. But Hannah says she looks murderous.”

There could only be one reason why she was here: to chew him a new asshole, considering all the information that Octavia had just given him. She and her source had really outdone themselves this time. Now, he just had to figure out how to use the information to his advantage. He silently contemplated his next move, a chessboard in his mind.

“Mr Blake? What would you like me to do?”

“Send her in.” He figured that she was a smart woman and if he turned her away, she would find some way to get to his office. Besides, he had no reason to turn her away and with Octavia’s words echoing in his head, he needed her in his office. _Think, Bellamy. Think. You think on your feet for a living._ “Print the documents for that pharmaceutical company. I can’t remember what it’s called.”

“The Newman one, Mr Blake? I thought you said, and I quote, _that it was a sorry example of the medical profession._ ”

“I change my mind.” He finally had a plan. _Ruthless, think ruthless, Bellamy._

 

 

 

 **The ride up to the fifth floor was too short for Clarke why exactly she was here.** She needed a place to go and this seemed like the best option at the time. Home was out of the question for it would show defeat and she was too keyed up to treat herself to a shopping spree. Raven was still on her honeymoon and Wells…well, they weren’t on the greatest of terms. Not after his father assumed the president’s seat. Finn’s apartment was usually her first choice whenever she argued with Abby but, that was out of the question as well.

However, she did have enough time to review her appearance, a habit ingrained into her bones since childhood. She found her makeup was smudged beyond fashionable and her hair, well, it was naturally windswept in a style Raven called sexy yet casual but which Abby called a mess. _There’s no fixing it now_ , Clarke thought as the doors pinged open to reveal a busy office floor. People breezed by, oblivious to her presence and absorbed in their work.

Heads turned and jaws dropped as she sat in the waiting area like some lower level businessman here to butter up the CEO. She glared at those who dared to look but most of them avoided eye contact as soon as they realised who she was. More of them peeked over their workstations to get a glimpse of the famed Clarke Griffin up close. Of course, they had all read the tabloid and could only come up with one conclusion: she was here to see Bellamy.

The offending tabloid magazine lay face up on the coffee table and she was tempted to rip that copy to shreds as well. She checked the slim watch on her wrist. It felt like an hour since she had been forced to wait when in reality, it had only been a few minutes.

“Coffee?” The receptionist, who looked like she knitted sweaters for a living, offered a second time with a strained smile.

“I don’t want coffee. I want to see Bellamy Blake.” If she had to repeat it one more time, she was going to get violent.

The receptionist nodded and returned to her seat. Clarke tucked her hair behind her ears and scowled at the magazine. It was like a stubborn stain on a designer dress. Suddenly, in her ear came a sweet feminine voice. “Ms Griffin?”

“I said I didn’t want coffee. Could you leave me alone until I get to see Bellamy Blake?” She expected granny again but when she looked up, she came face to face with a different woman. She scowled nonetheless. How many people can Bellamy send to annoy her before he allowed her into his office or turn her away?

With a practiced smile, the woman straightened and announced, folding her hands in front of her. She wore her disdain and dislike for Clarke plainly on her face and instead of getting on Clarke’s nerves, she was just amused. “I’m Chey, Mr Blake’s assistant. Please follow me.”

 _Finally_. While Clarke wanted to mirror Chey’s rudeness, she didn’t attend six years of Madam’s Finishing School for Young Ladies without having her P’s and her Q’s ingrained into her being. She could hear Madam’s voice in her ear, _politeness is a mark of a well-bred young lady but being polite does not mean you have to be pleasant_. Clarke hadn’t earned her Ice Queen title by smiling at everyone. “Thank you. Please lead the way.”

Clarke picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder, her head held high and her back straight. She could feel eyes on her as she followed Chey but she kept her’s straight ahead, focused on Bellamy’s office. She had walked through many staring crowds before. Whenever she went out for dinner, she was stared at. Stares should not make her feel uncomfortable but after everything that had happened in the past two weeks, it was hard not to let it unnerve her. _Remember what you’re here for. Nothing else matters. Just give that asshole a piece of your mind. He took away your job. He ruined your life._

Made completely of glass, Bellamy’s corner office had been featured in multiple magazines and praised as a new frontier for employer-employee boundaries. If Clarke was a violent woman, she would have taken her sharp, sharp heel and threw it at the fragile material. But Madam’s voice once again echoed in her ear: _when debutantes disagree, they say it with their eyes._ Plus, she didn’t want to ruin a good pair of shoes.

As she approached the office, she could see Bellamy seated behind his desk, his eyes following her. As quick as their eyes met through the clear glass, he turned away and went back to the stack of papers on his desk. She wanted to slap him so hard. Chey stood next to what must be her desk—for it was where all assistants’ desks were—and gestured with a faux smile on her face, as if she were a flight attendant. “Go right on in, Ms Griffin. Mr Blake is expecting you.”

There was no doorknob or even a handle. Just a flat piece of glass. There was only one conceivable way to open the door so she pushed and she was glad that it opened. She wouldn’t want to make more of a fool of herself, especially in front of the smug assistant. _What is her problem?_

Stepping inside Bellamy’s office, Clarke was faced with the sudden reality that she didn’t know what she wanted to say. She had a whole speech planned during the fifteen minute car ride here and she promised herself that she wouldn’t leave without getting her life back on track. Now that she was really here and it was no longer in her head, she was at a loss for words. She could only glare at him which wasn’t very helpful.

Luckily enough, Bellamy saved her the embarrassment of having nothing to say. His smile was condescending yet amused. “How nice of you to visit, Ms Griffin. Have you come to inquire about the condition of my thumb? It was indeed broken? I’ve gotten it fixed and should be good as new in a couple of weeks.”

Suddenly, she recalled the words that he had spoken the night he ruined her life: I would like to see you again. She didn’t know why she thought of it but it just made her angrier. Clarke crossed her arms across her chest and remained where she was at the door.  “Don’t play coy with me, Blake.”

“I’m not playing anything. I am curious as to why you are here.” He templed his fingers, elbows on the table as he regarded her.

A button on his desk darkened the glass walls but Clarke suspected it was some form of tint for she still could see out. He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk and smiled slightly. It was a smile that she recognised for she had used it multiple times on clients and in the boardroom; it was one that didn’t touch the eyes and lifted only the corners of her—and now his—mouth.

Her eyes narrowed and she stalked forward. “You know exactly why. It’s your fucking fault that we are splashed across the front page of that fucking tabloid.”

“I wasn’t the one who decided to have a long conversation about how I broke my thumb in front of everyone.” Bellamy gestured to the finger in question. “I clearly remember you asking if my masturbation habits was how I broke it.”

Immediately, Clarke’s cheeks coloured. She thought he had been drunk enough that he couldn’t remember. “If you hadn’t shown up at the hospital with your…your… _entourage_ in tow, I wouldn’t have to be here right now and I wouldn’t have my face splashed across the front page of that fucking magazine.” She didn’t need to emphasise which magazine; there was only one that mattered.

“And bleed out to death? It was a hospital, Griffin. You were the one being inappropriate. If anyone is to blame, it is yourself.” Bellamy gave her a level gaze. Then, he sighed dramatically. “You think it’s just your face that’s on the cover? None of my girlfriends will answer my calls now.”

Clarke laughed sarcastically. “Right, that’s all you men have to worry about. A multitude of girlfriends ignoring you because you were reportedly involved with another woman.”

“How else am I going to get a dinner date at this rate? It’s not like you will go out with me.” It wasn’t the best thing to say, considering that he believed a woman should not be judged by her personal life but he couldn’t resist it. Her cheeks flushed a fetching shade of red and there was a fiery glint in her eyes that made Bellamy wonder what they would look like when she came.

 _Wait, what?_ Thank goodness that Clarke couldn’t read minds or she would probably be stabbing him with the sharp point of her heels. “I just lost my job and you’re worried about not having a dinner date?!”

With a gasp, Clarke covered her mouth and backed away until she was pressed against the wall. _Shit, shit, shit._ She wasn’t supposed to reveal that. Her hands shook as she peeled herself off the wall and tried to look casual, like she just hadn’t blurted a company secret. No one could know that she had been suspended, much less a businessman specialising in takeovers. Her suspension made the company vulnerable and she had just opened it up to attacks.

A wicked part of Clarke said that it would serve her mother and the Council right for suspending her. They deserved to be challenged and she wasn’t going to stand by them. But, when she thought about it, she had worked and sacrificed time, money and effort to build it. She couldn’t abandon it even if it had abandoned her. She fisted her hands and planted them on her hips as she tried to glare at Bellamy.

 _Well, that made things easier._ “Just lost your job?” He couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice but he doubted Clarke heard it.

She shook her finger at him menacingly. “You heard nothing.”

“If this room wasn’t soundproof, everyone outside there would have heard you as well.”

“Pretend you didn’t hear it.”

“I can’t.”

“I’ll make you.”

“How?”

Clarke faltered. “I’ll…I’ll…I’ll kiss you.”

“You’ll kiss me?” Bellamy raised a brow sceptically. Was she high? Drunk, perhaps? Who goes around threatening to kiss people?

“You don’t think I’ll do it?” Clarke lifted her chin stubbornly. Kiss him? Is that the best she could come up with?

There was a sort of dark light in Bellamy’s eyes as he stalked over to stand directly in front her. It was predatory and sent a thrill down Clarke’s spine. He was standing far too close for comfort but if she backed away now, she would lose and she’d be damned before she lost to Bellamy Blake.

“I don’t doubt you’d do it. I just wonder if you’re any good.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk.

In that moment, Clarke wanted desperately to grab him by the front of his shirt and show him that she was a damned good kisser. Bellamy leaned in closer and he tentatively placed his hand on her waist. There was a question in his eyes, as if asking Clarke for permission to put his hand on her and she relaxed slightly. She had never been asked before, verbally or non-verbally.

He pulled her closer to him, their bodies touching and he lowered his head, his eyelids half-closed. Her breath fanned his cheek and caused him to tighten in the most unfortunate of places. Unconsciously, Clarke titled her head upward, one hand sliding up the front of his shirt to grasp the material, pulling him ever closer. If her ears didn’t fail her, she heard the tiniest of groans escape his lips. It made her tingle in the most intimate of places that only Finn and most recently, her fingers, had known.

When she had last saw him, he was drunk and a mess. She could definitely keep her hands off that Bellamy. This one, however, made her think of white sheets, sea breezes and tanned skin—tanned, naked skin. She wondered what his bare skin would taste like. He smelled like expensive whiskey, cigarettes and cologne. _He’d taste like wine._ Clarke fought the lusty haze that had enveloped her and glared at him. _Why are you thinking about him in bed? He ruined your life, your career, everything you’ve worked for._

“Clarke,” Bellamy whispered against her lips. He brushed his thumb across her cheek and then slid his hand into her hair, stroking her scalp gently and luxuriating in the sunshine of her locks. His hand came to rest at the nape of her neck, tilting her head back even more and offering her lips up to him. They were so close, so extremely close that if she lifted herself just the tiniest bit, she’d be lost. She knew of Bellamy’s reputation and not one person had a bad thing to say about his kisses—and other naughty things, of course. She could feel his heartbeat under her palm, through his shirt and the erratic rhythm mirrored hers. If she inched herself just a little higher—

And then, he chuckled and lightly pushed her away, smoothing the wrinkles from his shirt where she had grabbed him. Leaving Clarke stunned and shocked at her own behaviour and not having pushed him away, he returned to his seat, if only to hide the tent in his slacks. “If I kiss you now, you’re going to hold it against me forever. Besides, I have a secret to confess.”

“Keep them in your closet.”

It was time to lay his cards on the table. Something told Bellamy that this was going to be the only chance he had to get on Clarke’s good side and if he couldn’t get into her pants, he was going to tell her the truth. He couldn’t possibly break another finger just to visit her at the hospital. Plus, it wasn’t as if that plan would work. She was suspended. “You’re going to like this one.”

“Does it involve you, a bed and some nameless female you toss aside the next day?”

“I happen to know that you’re in need of a boyfriend to get your job back and I also know that you were suspended. That little slip-up of yours there isn’t going to change this game that we’re playing. You’re at a disadvantage here.” Clarke’s jaw dropped and Bellamy felt a surge of pride. “Don’t look so surprised. I have spies as I am sure you do as well.”

He was right. Griffin Empire did employ spies to feed them information about their rival companies but as far as she was aware, they had none within Blake & Co. for they were not a threat to their business. They had yet to take over a pharmaceutical company or own a hospital. So, why did he have a spy within her walls?

“So, you have the company’s secrets.” It was a statement. She crossed her arms.

 _Not all of them_ , Bellamy thought.

“What…are you going to do with them?” _Hah. He’s not going to tell you his plans, stupid._ Clarke cussed herself but she didn’t know what else to say and she couldn’t keep staring at him. There was a gleam in his eyes that she didn’t like.

The ball was now in his park and he was bouncing it around like a kid on a candy high. He leaned forward, excitedly. “Would you like a job, Griffin? Something to keep you occupied while you do time?”

“What are you getting at?” She frowned slightly, ignoring that he implied she was a criminal. She didn’t want to be interested but she was. Vacations were for schoolchildren and babies, not high-flying career women on the verge of a medical breakthrough. Not that there was anything wrong with being the type of woman who didn’t work but that just wasn’t what she was born to do.

He gestured to a plain yellow file to his right. Reluctantly, Clarke sat down in the chair in front of Bellamy but she kept her body angled in case she needed to bolt. He slid the file in front of Clarke, close enough that she could read the name on the label. Her eyes narrowed once again, disbelief and disgust in her voice. “Newman Pharma—isn’t that the—No! You didn’t! No wonder we couldn’t get in touch with their lab.”

“We _haven’t_ ,” Bellamy emphasised. Even though he was used to people being disgusted and angry with him—for it had become the norm when one was in the business of taking over companies—but something about it coming from Clarke upset him. He tried not to let it show and smiled faintly. It wasn’t as if he was really going to take over Newman. The company was too far gone to save and he would rather not waste their time and money. “But we are considering. While I have people who deal with finances and human resources, you know the drill, I have yet to find anyone I trust completely to look at their research. Their science.”

“Why me?”

“Why not you? You’re established and you have the right credentials. You’ve published journals and papers and spoken at conferences.” _That’s right, Bell. Play to her ego._

Clarke blushed at the praise, if one could consider Bellamy listing her accomplishments offhandedly as praise. She took it anyway because she didn’t get enough recognition and it was always nice to feel validated. However, something was still amiss with his offer. “You know how to sell your case. So, you give me a job that you can give to any other research company but so far, I don’t see how this is beneficial to me. It sounds like I’m doing it for free.”

 A wicked gleam lit up Bellamy’s eyes. “I’d like to do something for you.”

“You mean pay me what a research company deserves?”

“Consider it payment.” Bellamy took a breath. “I’d like to be your boyfriend.”  

Clarke burst into laughter and continued laughing for a minute or two. Each time she stopped, she looked at Bellamy’s face and she began laughing all over again. Tears spilled out of her eyes and her gut ached. It was possibly the funniest thing she had heard all day and it actually made her forget about her worries for that short moment. When she had heard women talk about Bellamy, they never mentioned that he was a joker as well.

However, Bellamy didn’t seem to be amused. When Clarke got a good look at him, he wasn’t even wearing that faux smile. He actually looked…serious. “You’ve got to be kidding, right? Me? Date you?” Clarke covered her mouth so she wouldn’t burst into laughter again but one little giggle escaped.

“I’m completely serious. I would like you to do this job for me and in return, I’ll help you with your problems, namely, getting a boyfriend.”

“You’re going to have to court me first.”

“Actually, I was going for pretend boyfriend. Let’s face it. I’d never date you and you’d never date me. We don’t have to do anything. We just have to go out on a couple of dates, smile for the camera.” He noted the disbelief on her expression and knew he had to be quick, before she could make up her mind. “Even if you accepted this research position, I can’t officially pay you because you’d have to be on the payroll which will defeat the purpose of privacy. Word will get out that you’re employed here, they’ll find out you were suspended…Do you see where I am getting at here?”

“Pay me out of your own bank account then. Transfer the money over. Banks are known for their secrecy.”

“It’ll make you look like my mistress. This way, if I pay you, it will look legitimate”

“No, it will make me look like a kept woman. I don’t need a man transferring money to me. I make enough of my own.”

“That’s the offer.”

Clarke was stunned. She couldn’t believe her ears at what Bellamy was offering. Her expertise in exchange for…dating him?! No, not dating him. _Fake_ dating him. She didn’t expect Bellamy to be any different but she certainly hadn’t expected him to make her offer herself on a platter for him. She felt sick, like she wanted to throw up her breakfast all over his nice, shiny desk. Not only was it bound to get her fired and permanently kicked off the board, it was far too similar to the arrangement she had with Finn. It was far too much for her to take and she stood up abruptly.

“You despicable son of a bitch. Haven’t you ruined my life enough already? Now you want me to pretend to date you? What for? So it can look like you’ve finally got the girl? Lift you out of your noveau riche status? I can see the headlines now: Self-made billionaire lands heiress. Because that’s all I ever fucking am to anyone. The heir to the Griffin Empire. The _female_ heir! I bet you paid them to take those pictures. I bet you even told them what to print. To hatch this fucked up plan of yours.”

It was the worst thing to ever think in such a situation but Clarke angry was an extreme turn on. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were alive; they were an extreme contrast to her photographs in the tabloids or any other time he had ever seen her whether at galas or on his HoloScreen. “You can call it off at any time.” Bellamy held up his hands, defensively.

But Clarke didn’t hear him. “What do you want me to do? Fuck you? Suck your cock? I am not going to be another notch in your godforsaken bedpost. Go to hell.”

She pulled out a wad of money from her purse, her eyes on fire as she stared into Bellamy’s cool ones. How could he be so calm when he had just offered her the most despicable thing on the planet? When she had made the deal with Finn, they had been teenagers who wanted to be free from parental and societal control. She and Bellamy were adults and they shouldn’t have to play games this way.

She tossed the money onto his desk. “Go buy yourself a courtesan.”

Spinning sharply on her heel, she walked out of his office to a floor full of silent stares. She would never let another man control her, as long as she lived.  

“Hear me out,” she heard him call but she couldn’t turn around to face him. Her cheeks burned with shame and anger. Going to his office had been wrong, she knew that now. The tabloids were going to get wind of it and she’d be further scandalised.

It looked like she needed to call her travel agent and plan a trip around the world. Her suspension wasn’t going to be lifted for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow. so this chapter was a long time coming. it took me two months to put out this chapter. in truth, it took me about two-three weeks to actually sit down and write this chapter. after posting the previous chapter, i immediately sat down and began writing this one. but nothing seemed right. everything i had initially plotted just seemed incredibly wrong. 
> 
> writer's block was tough. i started out with an initial idea of where this chapter would take the characters but i've rewritten it so many times that i had given up. i just...did other things and ignored this. but clarke and bellamy wouldn't keep quiet. their story had to be told. i'm very proud of this chapter. it involved a lot of blood, sweat, tears and pestering the most wonderful beta in the world, val. this chapter wouldn't exist without her. it wouldn't at all. 
> 
> when i think about how hard it was for me to write this chapter, i feel like crying. it was tough. i've never struggled so hard to write something. but, i hope you enjoyed it and i hope you love it.


	5. April 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a short chapter, a filler if you’d like but necessary because you'll find out soon enough. as always, full beta credit goes to val. please review or leave me a comment or some love because i am the review monster omnomnomnom

**April 17**

_“It has been too quiet, ladies and gentlemen. Too quiet. Raven Reyes and Soulmate, Kyle Wick are out of town and are untraceable. Damn mechanics. Clarke Griffin has only been spotted shopping which isn’t very entertaining. Bellamy Blake has another new girl on his arm and Octavia Blake is once again, hidden from the public. If this continues, we’re going to have to turn to the likes of Monty Green, Nathan Miller and Jasper Jordan. Unless these three decide to have an orgy, they’re not at all interesting.”_

_Come on, Tondc Four. Wake up. Do something naughty._

-          _Gigi Merlot, Chief Editor of Soulmate Daily in her Editor’s Note_

The last thing she had painted was a field of Old World flowers for a charity auction five months ago. Or was it six? It had been so long Clarke couldn’t even remember exactly.  It felt good to hold a paintbrush in her hands again. But, the canvas in front of her was blank. It had been blank for two days.

She needed to get away. She needed to get out of the city and be inspired once more. It was a little cheesy but there was something about nature that made her feel a little more human, a little better.

The travel magazines piled on her coffee table tempted her to reschedule her flight which was due to leave in a week. Although it made more sense for her to leave immediately, on a whirlwind trip, she wanted time to make checklists and pack.

Her canvas was still blank and the paint was already drying on her palette. With a sigh, she decided to make herself a cup of tea. It probably wouldn’t help her creativity but nothing soothed a frazzled soul like some hot tea and honey.

As she waited for the tea to brew, her phone vibrated loudly, making her jump. She hadn’t received a call or text from anyone but Abby since she was suspended. Clarke knew it wasn’t her mother because the latter was in surgery and wouldn’t be done for another two hours, maybe more.

_Guess who’s back in town_. ID: Wells.

_And didn’t bother to tell me,_ she texted back, forgetting about her tea. She missed Wells Jaha insanely. Her cheeks hurt from smiling. He was her best friend next to Raven.

Her phone buzzed. _It was a last minute decision._

_But you were supposed to come back next month._

_Yeah. Things happened. We couldn’t find it. We’re making arrangements to go in again but I’m back!_

Clarke didn’t notice that he had avoided her unspoken question of why he was returning now instead of later.

_Did you bring me gifts?_

_Meet me for lunch? Country club?_

_As long as I get presents._

_Aren’t I a present enough?_

Clarke laughed out loud. _Whatever you say, Casanova_.

With a little skip in her step, she went to change out of her painting smock into something appropriately white, per the dress code. Finally, one of her best friends was back in town. At least someone hadn’t heard of her mishaps.

 

 

**It was a little strange that Wells had asked her to meet him in the front hall of the country club, when this was a restaurant that they went to so often that the maître d’ greeted them by name—not Mr or Ms or their last names—and they always had a table ready no matter the time of the day.** However, Clarke did not question him, thinking perhaps that he wanted to walk her in like a gentleman; it was something that Wells would do.

Wells was already waiting for her when she arrived, her white sundress gleaming in the sun. “Hi!” she breathed excitedly as she got out of the car, her chauffeur shutting the door gently behind her. She threw her arms around Wells, not caring that it was incredibly inappropriate but paparazzi were not allowed beyond the gates of the country club.

She missed him. Infrequent letters had been their only form of contact while he had been trekking the Amazonian jungle for a plant that was reputed to cure sun sickness. And with all the recent developments, having both of her best friends out of town had been difficult. She had no one to talk to. Monty at work was probably the closest she had to a confidant but she didn’t know much about him outside of the office.

“I should go away more often if this is the welcome I get,” Wells laughed and returned the hug but only briefly. He had always been the appropriate one whether or not there was paparazzi around.

“I haven’t seen you in forever. You can’t expect me to not react like this. How was the trip? And did you find that blasted plant? Wait, why are you back so early? You were only supposed to return last month.” Clarke gasped, not giving him a second in her excitement to answer any of her questions. “Does this mean you’ve found it? You’ve really found it?”

“Come on. Let’s get inside and then we’ll talk. I have champagne chilling.” Wells laughed again and held out his arm for Clarke to take. _Always the perfect gentleman_ , she heard Abby’s voice in her head. _Why can’t you date Wells, if you’re so bent on not finding your Soulmate? He’s a nice guy._ With a smile, she indulged in his old-fashioned ways and took his arm.

"I can’t wait to hear all about the Amazon. Is it as beautiful as it was in the Old World?”

She lived vicariously through her well-travelled friends for as much as she wanted to travel the world, she was married to her job. It wasn’t something she complained about though because she loved what she did; she loved saving lives. And her friends were always ready to indulge her in their adventures.

“It was phenomenal. You can’t imagine it, Clarke. The trees and the water, the water it was so clear you could see the bottom. I hope one day we could go together.” He grinned down at her as he led her through the country club to the restaurant. It wasn’t a long walk. “And look for that magical plant of yours.”

“Hey, it’s not magical! God’s Hand might be a cheesy name for it but it’s been proven to cure sun sickness. The Amazonian natives use it to a 90% success rate. Dr Klein’s research proved it and you know it. Or you wouldn’t have gone on that expedition.”

“Yeah but the natives were so secretive about it. They led me through the forests for days and I didn’t find it at all. All I got was mud in places you don’t want to know about.”

Clarke laughed and it felt good. She hadn’t laughed in days, not after everything that had happened. If anyone could make her laugh in the midst of her troubles, it was Wells. It felt like the old times, when she could hang out with her friends and all she had to worry about was the paparazzi getting a photograph of her with food in her teeth. She winked playfully at him. “I demand lunch and two margaritas before you say anything else…if you’re going to talk about _places_.”

He was solemn as he said, “as the lady commands” which made Clarke laugh even harder, drawing eyes to the pair.

As they entered the restaurant, Clarke greeted the maître d’ with a conspirational whisper, “Jacques, two margaritas, if you please. And make it quick. Before the gentleman changes his mind. Put it on his tab.”

Much to Clarke’s delight, Jacques played along. “Certainly, Madam. Would you like two glasses or one big glass?” It sent her into even more laughter, her stomach hurting. She didn’t know why she found it all so funny but she did.

“One big glass,” Clarke answered over her shoulder as Wells, with laughter sparkling in his eyes, tugged her away from Jacques towards their table.

However, her laughter caught in her throat as it was already occupied. By Jaha, of all people. Clarke frowned slightly. Wells didn’t say anything about having lunch with his father, or she would never have said yes. Jaha gave her a cursory glance before turning back to his lunch, cutting and spearing the meat with his fork as if she wasn’t there.

Across from Jaha was half a glass of orange juice and a steaming plate of fish and greens. Only Wells loved the strange combination of fish, greens and orange juice. She turned to her best friend, wariness on her face. “I thought I was having lunch with you.”

“I thought if I said my father wanted to talk to you, you wouldn’t come.”

Clarke crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Damn right you are. What’s going on?”

“We want to help you. Just hear us out.”

She didn’t need to ask what they wanted to help her with. There was only one problem in her life and that was her reputation.

Wells sat down and father and son had never looked more like a pair, a team, and ready to take on the world. Wells’ eyes implored Clarke to listen to what they had to say but like the arrogant bastard he was, Jaha didn’t even spare her a second look. He continued eating. It looked like Jaha was the brain of the operation because Wells looked to his father, as if for help or for him to start speaking.

Clarke wanted to punch something or throw something heavy and fragile against the wall. The plate Jaha was eating from, for starters. She’d love to see his expensive lunch smeared all over the pristine white walls of the country club. “I came here to have lunch with you, Wells. It looks like you had something else in mind. I’d never have taken you to lie to me but the apple never falls far from the tree, right?”

Wells head snapped back as if Clarke had slapped him in the face and it gave her some satisfaction. She had expected betrayal from Finn and that ludicrous offer from Bellamy but Wells…he was her best friend. She’d never expected anything but loyalty and love from him. Didn’t he know that Jaha was the one to order her suspension?

“Please just listen.”

“I’m leaving. I expected better from you. Call me when you’ve stopped playing games.” It was the second time in a week that a man was playing games with her. She needed Raven or at least some female company. She pulled out her phone to call her chauffeur and began to walk away.

However, Jaha finally spoke, his commanding voice stopping her in her tracks. “I have an offer to make you, Clarke.”

She had enough offers to last her a lifetime, first from Finn and then from Bellamy but she was curious as to how he wanted to play this game. She turned around slowly, glaring at both men, who once had been so important in her life. “I’m not interested in any of your offers. But go ahead. Try and win me over.”

Jaha dabbed at his lips with a napkin. It was gentlemanly and polite, just as he raised his son to be but as she looked into his eyes, she saw something beneath the façade. It was malicious and it was greedy.

“You’re an intelligent woman, Clarke, so I won’t beat around the bush. I have a solution to your predicament. If you agree to my terms, you will get your job back and your reputation will remain intact.”

Clarke gave him a pointed look. “And?”

“Are you happy, Clarke?”

“What do you think?”

Jaha offered her a condescending smile. “Make Wells your Soulmate. Bond with him and all of this will be over.” He said it as if he was in control of the tabloids. _Perhaps he is_ , Clarke thought. Wells looked uncomfortable and refused to meet Clarke’s eyes. He played with the peas on his plate like a child. “My son is a respectable man, nothing like Finn Collins or _Bellamy Blake_. The public will see that it is all made up. You get a clean slate.”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

Not _another_ offer of Bonding. What was it with men and owning women? “And what does my mother say to this?”

“She doesn’t have to know.”

“Why?”

“Love is private. She doesn’t _need_ to know.” There was something harsh in Jaha’s tone.

Clarke forced herself to remain calm. “No. I meant why are you offering Wells like a pig up for slaughter?”

“You consider Bonding with you to be death?” Jaha laughed but there was no humour in it. Clarke wanted to be angry. Her brain said she should yell, point the fork at him and stab him with the knife but her heart was jaded. She had no more fucks to give.

When she remained silent, Jaha looked a little contrite. He cleared his throat and continued, “It will be good for both our families. Griffins and Jahas have always run the company. Your Bonding will turn it into a family business. And you get your job back. Isn’t that what you want?”

She didn’t bother to correct him: they were the first to run Griffin Empire. Judging by Wells’ lack of enthusiasm, he was a reluctant pawn in Jaha’s game but he wasn’t contesting his father. He still refused to look at Clarke. Suddenly, she thought of Bellamy. _He_ would never let anyone dictate his life for him. _He_ would have punched his own father for suggesting an arranged Bonding, an idea so archaic that no one, despite living in a world that worshipped traditions, practiced it.

“I find it hard to believe that you’re merely looking out for my welfare.”

“I’ve always looked out for you, Clarke. You’re like a daughter to me.”

Clarke only snorted. Her memories said it was true. Jaha had picked her up from kindergarten and taken both her and Wells out for ice-cream because her mother had been too busy. He had attended her dance recitals and he had taken her shopping for shoes. He had cleaned her wounds and dried her tears when she fell while climbing a tree. But this, this wasn’t looking out for her.

“What are you getting out of this?”

“I want you to be happy. And your job back.”

Clarke laughed loud and hard. There was no joy in it. “Happy? Happy?! You are the one who caused this. You could have vetoed the decision. You know I am not that kind of girl. You _know_ me. Yet you agreed to suspend me. You agreed to keep me away from my research. I’m surprised you haven’t stripped me off my share holdings because I can see it on your fucking face that you want to.” She hadn’t imagined the malice in his eyes. It was there, plain as day. “So don’t try and give me some fucking sob story that you _care_. You don’t.”

The restaurant was fairly empty but the people that were there—wait staff included—all turned and stared at them. She was thankful that the employees were all contractually obligated to silence to the press. The false smile that played on Jaha’s lips fell. “Let’s keep this civil.”

“I’m not listening to another word. I can wait this media storm out. I’m a patient woman. Don’t underestimate me and treat me like a fucking child.” She turned to Wells. “And _you_! You can take your friendship and leave me alone. I can’t believe you agreed to this.”

“I did it so—”

But Jaha cut his son off. Clarke noticed that both her mother and Jaha loved to do that. “I’m offering you a way out. You can choose to take it. Bond with Wells and everything will be better. You transfer half your shares to him and everyone is happy. You remain CEO and you get to work in your lab with your precious secret.”

So that was his agenda. He wanted her shares for himself. Clarke knew that whatever Wells would hold, Jaha was in control of it all. He was already holding ten-percent of the shares, only ten percent less than her mother. “You’re disgusting. Both of you.”

Clarke wanted nothing more to leave but Jaha had to have the final say. “I’m trying to be nice here. I’m giving you everything you want.”

“What do you know of what I want?”

“Bond with Wells or I will ruin you. You said it yourself. I can do it. Two days, Clarke. That’s all the time I’m giving you to make your decision. In two days, if your answer remains the same, I will convince the board to strip you of your title and everything that you own at the company.”

“You and Abby had an agreement that you would wait until my Ball.”

Jaha smiled menacingly. “My sources tell me that you were seen going to Bellamy Blake’s office on Monday. And you seemed to have spent almost an hour there. In fact, we have pictures. Now, imagine what would happen if I leaked those pictures to Daily?”

She needed to leave before she grabbed the knife and jammed it into his throat. Blood red rage clouded her vision. With one last withering glance at Wells who still refused to meet her eyes, she walked out of the restaurant. “Make good choices, Clarke!” she heard Jaha call after her.

Hot tears spilled down her cheeks as she got into her car. She didn’t know where else to go. She had been ambushed by her best friend, her other best friend was still unreachable and she had no other friends. When had her life become so fucked up that it boiled down to this or that? It was Bellamy vs. Jaha. It was fake Soulmates vs. arranged bonding. It was save her job and deal with a skirt-chasing prick vs. save her job and come out with a loveless Bonding.

She knew which was more desirable. That didn’t mean it was going to be any easier on her heart. “Blake and Co., please.”

 

 

**Octavia would never let Bellamy forget he had ruined their chances to get anywhere** **near close to Griffin Empire’s files.** She took a bite of her sandwich and swallowed. “I can’t believe you were such an idiot. I can’t believe you made her an offer. Like a relationship is some sort of contract!”

This was the same thing she had been saying since five days ago, when he told her he had fucked up big time. Now, they were trying to come up with a way to salvage their plans. “You’ve dated tons of girls, Bell, why did you offer her a contract? Why not a date? Some dinner?”

“You know, O, she’s just had her life torn to shreds. She isn’t going to respond very well to me coming on to her.” Bellamy just sighed and looked at the documents in front of him. The words swam before his eyes. He knew what a mess he had made of the Griffin Project. “If you were in her position, you’d have walked out on me as well.”

“ _No_. I would have weighed the pros and the cons and—why am I even agreeing with you on the offer?” Octavia shook her head hard. “Not everything is a contract.”

He ignored her. “Maybe we go for Jaha instead of Clarke. Go big or go home. She’s suspended. It’s not like she had access to anything.”

Octavia paced, her head tilted as she considered the HoloPad in front of her, her mind both on the Griffin Project and managing the company’s social media accounts. “How do you propose we go for Jaha? He’s so fucking clean that I know it’s not real. We’ve got nothing on him—I can’t believe you fucked up, Bell. It’s not like you.”

“Enough, O.” His tone was sharp enough to make Octavia stop her leisurely pacing and feel chastised.

Suddenly, his door was flung open and he looked up to find Clarke striding into his office, her knuckles white where she gripped her purse but her face was serene. His assistant stood behind her, flustered. “I said she couldn’t come in here. Hannah didn’t give me a warning quick enough or I would have—”

“It’s fine. We weren’t in the middle of anything important.” His eyes went to Octavia who gave him a look. He could tell she wanted to roll her eyes but she didn’t want to be obvious either. Chey backed out of the room and shut the door behind her.

Clarke looked more composed than she felt on the inside. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the office staring at her. She could already imagine the conversations. _Twice in one week. There has to be something going on between Clarke and Bellamy,_ one would say. _But she didn’t look happy to see him,_ another would reply.

She had questioned her decision on the drive over, on the elevator ride up and on the short walk to his corner office. She had to pick the lesser of two evils. She could gain another fake relationship, something to occupy her time besides shopping and staring out her windows and her reputation would be salvaged. Or, she could salvage her reputation, save her job and Bond for life to someone whom she cared about but didn’t love.

Clarke Griffin couldn’t love, wouldn’t, in fact. She could break-up a relationship but she couldn't Sever a Bond without repercussions. “We need to talk.” Clarke looked pointedly at Octavia who had settled down into the couch, eating her sandwich and watching the both of them. “Privately.”

He didn’t know why she was here. There had been nothing in the tabloids about the both of them except for that article the day after their initial meeting about her visit to his office but she hadn’t contacted him then. He only had to look at Octavia before she held up her hands as if in surrender, stuffed the remainders of her sandwich in her mouth and left with her hands tucked into her leather jacket.

Clarke’s eyes met Octavia’s and she could sense protectiveness in them. At the same time, there was a youthful curiosity and enthusiasm for the world, something Clarke used to have.

As soon as the door shut behind Octavia, Clarke visibly relaxed but her shoulders were still stiff, as if she were holding up the world. “Who was she? Your sister?”

“Find that out from the tabloids?”

Clarke just shrugged. “She doesn’t look much like you.”

“Different fathers,” was his only reply.

Biting on her bottom lip, Clarke looked everywhere except for Bellamy. The last time she had been here, she had been too furious to take in the design of the room with it’s clear, glass walls and floor-to-ceiling windows, making her feel like she was in a transparent box floating in the sky.

Bellamy cleared his throat to get her attention. “What is this about?”

“Your offer.”

Clarke moved to stand before his windows, overlooking the city. With a frown, Bellamy got up and stood next to her, wondering what she was looking at. He made a career reading people but he couldn’t get anything from her. Not even when she was angry and flustered. “What about it?”

Clarke hesitated a breath before she spoke, “Yes.”

Bellamy didn’t know what to make of that answer. “Yes, what?”

She glared at him. “Are you really going to make me say it? Yes. I accept your darned offer.”

Bellamy grinned so widely that he thought his face would split. “Welcome to Blake and Co., Ms Griffin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i tend to put out chapters much quicker when i’m not on a writer’s block (duhh). this is probably the last time i’ll put out a chapter this quick because uni is starting to pick up and my focus turns to my school work. no worries, i’m still writing but at a slower pace.


	6. April 17 Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta credit goes fully to bcbbimxrse and detective-prettyboy on tumblr. without them, this chapter wouldn't exist.

**April 17 Pt. 2**

When Clarke was younger, she saw an Old World Tiger at the Holographic Zoo. The hologram was stalking a nearby gazelle. Clarke expected the tiger to pounce on its prey when it got close but it waited and waited with what could amount to a wicked grin. Bellamy was wearing a similar grin when she accepted his offer. With the tiger’s grace, he sat down in his chair and gestured to the chairs across his desk. Clarke moved to stand across from him but refused to sit.

She couldn’t help but feel that although she was the one standing and looking down at him, he was the one who held all the power. The ball was now in his court and he wasn’t quick to break the silence. He just continued to grin, making Clarke uncomfortable. She cleared her throat and spoke, “Take a picture. It will last longer.”

“There are enough pictures of you around the internet.”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “Likewise.”

“Touché.” Bellamy leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. His expression took on a modicum of seriousness. He slid across the sheaf of papers she saw the last time she was here. “Your job is simple. I want you to tell me if they’re a company worth investing in, based on their research work.”

“So, you’re just going to ask me to go through a bunch of papers?”

“Besides visiting their labs and other science-y things.” It was impossible to tell if Bellamy was making a mockery of her profession or he really did not care about science at all.

“And where will I work?”

“Anywhere you want to. Here, at home,” Bellamy replied shrugging. What he didn’t say is he would have preferred she work in the office. It would be easier to steal information from her when she was not looking. But, he did not think it would be wise to cage Clarke, especially if he wanted her to trust him. “If you choose to drop by the office, do let me know beforehand. And I expect a report every three days.”

“Basically I’m free to go wherever I want to.” Clarke was not convinced. In her experience with powerful men, they liked to control everything around them.

“Yes, I’m your boss slash boyfriend. Not your keeper.”

She ran a hand through her hair and exhaled slowly. “Okay. So how are you going to hold up your end of the bargain?”

Bellamy could smell her perfume from where he sat, all wintery and earthy. It was reminiscent of the Ice Princess façade she wore and so different from the vanilla scent he remembered from the hospital. Yet, he still ached to take her in his arms and press his lips to the sweet curve of her neck. Sitting down had not been a choice but a necessity if he wanted to hide his growing hard on.

His voice came out huskier than he expected. “I promise I’ll be there to be your pretend boyfriend whenever you need me to be.”

Clarke was not sure which unsettled her more: the severity of the promise reflected in his eyes or how the bass of his voice made her thighs clench reflexively. “Any time I need you?”

“Yes.”

Bellamy saw Clarke’s shoulders visibly relax and the harsh lines of her face soften. There was something classically beautiful in her calmness, drawing him in and if it was even possible, making him want her even more. Of course, Bellamy still preferred her when she was angry with a deep red flush to her cheeks and fire in her eyes. But, the woman before him still was a woman and she had a sort of twinkle in her eyes that read of mischief. “Good. I like a man at my beck and call.”

He groaned quietly. The idea of having Clarke in charge caused him to harden even further, to the point of pain. He saw sparks but he couldn’t even do something about it without being obvious.  But, he was not a submissive man. Some would call him overly dominant and while he preferred his women a little more pliable, he would not mind letting Clarke take the reins. He would give her a little but only a little. A dominant woman could not, would not, be tamed. He would not want to tame Clarke.

“Earth to Blake,” Clarke called, waving a hand in front of his face. His cheeks coloured but he would not let her unsettle him with one somewhat flirtatious comment.

“Yes?” He wasn’t going to apologise for spacing out or getting lost in his thoughts. She would just have to speculate on what exactly he was thinking about.

“Now what?” He watched a blush start in Clarke’s cheeks, a pale pink her makeup could not hide. He wanted to follow the colour past her cheeks, down her neck and— _Stop it!_ he told himself. _You’re acting like a schoolboy_.

“Now, we work.”

* * *

 

 **And work they did**. In the next four hours, neither Clarke nor Bellamy uttered an unprofessional word as they pored over their own documents and made their own phone calls. The only time they did talk to each other was when Clarke asked where the bathroom was and Bellamy asked if she wanted him to help her schedule a visit to the Newman laboratory. If Clarke was relentless at her job, Bellamy was ruthless. He did everything with precision and even when everyone left the office, he was still reading over documents. He never skipped a page and he read every single word.

Before she left the office, her eyes tired and watery, she asked him, “Don’t you have someone to read them for you? You must have other things to do besides go over every single document that comes through your office.”

He smiled faintly at her and she thought he looked rather cute with his gold-rim spectacles. She would never have guessed he wore reading glasses. It was one small flaw in the perfection that was Bellamy Blake. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he replied, “I do but I prefer to go through each one myself as well. My people may have missed something.”

Out of reflex, she asked, “Would you like to grab dinner?”

Bellamy’s smile lit up his face. “Are you asking me out?”

“No. I’m being polite.”

“You like me, Griffin.”

“Keep on dreaming, Blake.”

He just smiled and looked back down at the documents in front of him. His eyes had to be tired but he did not complain which prompted Clarke to not complain about how the words had been swimming before her eyes. She studied and read scientific reports and journals on a daily basis but she could not get on Bellamy’s level.  

The desk lamp, the only light besides the two small ceiling lights he kept on, highlighted his features and chiselled them even further. Clarke was sure if she reached out and touched a cheekbone, it would cut her finger. He was fascinating.

Clarke wanted to turn and leave but she was caught in the moment, watching Bellamy work. He was so still. He could almost be the statue she compared him to in the hospital room. _Adonis_ , she thought, clutching the stack of papers and HoloPad to her chest. She wanted to paint him, to immortalise the intensity with which he worked, the harshness of his features in the dark yet the ethereal glow surrounding him.

Instead, she said, “Why don’t you turn on the lights? You’ll spoil your eyes.”

“Tondc is more beautiful at night. I leave the lights off so I can see it better.”

It was a simple answer but Clarke could not wrap her head around. To her, Tondc was more beautiful in the morning when the streets were empty and the trees were bright green. It was a brief moment of peace, before the chaos of the day began.

“You are strange, Blake.”

“Only to those who don’t understand me, Griffin.”

“Good night, Bellamy.”

“And to you, Clarke.”

* * *

 

 **She stood on the balcony of her apartment, looking down upon the city and recalled Bellamy’s words.** All Clarke saw were small windows of lights from office blocks and apartments, neon lights from the clubs, the fluorescent of restaurants, car lights and the darkness of the forest surrounding Tondc beyond. People, dark shadows briefly illuminated by the lights, walked the streets below.

Just then, her HoloPhone trilled in a series of beeps she had assigned to her mother’s personal phone. She answered with a video feed. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, dear. Jackson said you called the office earlier. I was in a meeting. What is it you want to talk about?” Abby frowned. The feisty night wind whipped Clarke’s hair about, prompting her mother to add, “Your hair’s a mess. Where are you?”

“On my balcony. The wind makes it noisy enough that no one can hear us clearly. At this point, I’m not taking any chances.”

“What are you talking about?” Abby chewed absently on a sandwich.

“Today, Jaha made me an offer.” Instantly, Abby’s features went from tired to ferocious lioness. “I told him no, naturally but I only have two days. I believe he will act on his threats.”

Abby was silent. Clarke expected her mother to fly into a rage, either a calm collected one or a blood-red rage but she was just quiet. And also rather still. From Abby’s surroundings, Clarke could tell she was at home so there was no need for her to pretend to be calm. “Mom?”

“Quiet, Clarke. I’m thinking.”

“It looked like you were falling asleep.”

Abby had to smile at that. Their relationship might be estranged and Clarke couldn’t  forgive her mother for how she ruined and stole her father’s money but in some way, both women loved each other. “I haven’t slept in thirty-six hours. I’ve taken the day off tomorrow.”

"That’s good.”

“What do you want to do now?”

Clarke frowned slightly. “You’re asking me?”

Abby nodded. “Yes. This isn’t a company matter. It might have started as one but it’s become personal. So, what do you want to do?”

“Yeah, but you never let me make any decisions either.”

Abby should have been used to how blunt Clarke was but she was still a little taken aback by her daughter’s words. “I’m letting you make one now.”

“Do you think we can hold the Engagement Ball in two days?”

“Are you sure? Is this your final answer?”

“What is this? _Who Wants to Be A Billionaire?_ ”

“Why?” Abby finished her sandwich and dusted crumbs from her hands.

“Why what?”

“You were against a Ball a week ago. You were unenthusiastic about the entire process. Why is this suddenly your first option?”

 _Because I have another fake boyfriend so I can get fake Engaged and this can all be over_ was what Clarke wanted to say. Instead, she said, “How else am I going to stop Jaha? If I get Engaged by Sunday, there is no way he can take anything away from me, from us. And there is no way he can force me into Bonding with Wells.”

Clarke heard the quiet rustle of pages being turned and her mother’s head was down. She knew she was looking through her planner. Her mother preferred to do things the old-fashioned way instead of relying on her HoloPad. It meant people were less likely to discover what she was going to do next. After a while, Abby finally spoke, “Lulu has your dresses done. There will be extra charges for the ballroom and caterer if we change dates at the shortest notice but I will handle those. And then there’s the matter of our guests.”

“What about them?” Clarke had a bad feeling about this.

“It is impossible to get new invitations out on such short notice. We will have to handle the changes by phone.”

Clarke could hear the hint in her mother’s tone and she sighed, rolling her eyes. It was a habit she knew her mother hated. “And you want me to do it?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?”

“Do you want to look like a mature adult or do you want to hide behind your mother’s skirts? The world already knows you’re on _vacation_.”

Clarke knew Abby was right. If she allowed Abby to make the phone calls, then she would look like an incompetent adult. She could handle a few hundred phone calls. “Fine. Just send me the list and I’ll start bright and early tomorrow morning,” Clarke said. She desperately needed a drink now. Then, a thought hit her. “What if they say no?”

“No one will say no to your Engagement Ball.”

* * *

 

 _ **Two days, Clarke.** That’s all the time I’m giving you to make your decision. In two days, if your answer remains the same, I will convince the board to strip you of your title and everything that you own at the company._ Jaha’s threat echoed in her head as she scanned the list her mother had pinged to her HoloPad. Three hundred families had been invited, from across the world. Clarke had to admit, her mother was ambitious. She looked over at the clock on her night stand. She crawled into bed two hours ago but she could not fall asleep.

She thought accepting Bellamy’s offer would solve everything but it was starting to look like the beginning of a long list of new problems. When she had accepted Bellamy’s offer, she had forgotten about Jaha’s deadline. She had been more concerned with avoiding a Bonding.

But, she could not just back out of the offer. Without it, she had no other choice except to find someone to initiate her Discovery. She’d rather have Bellamy do it than some stranger. With a sigh, she called Bellamy, hoping that he would not answer. She had a feeling he would not like the other half of her Engagement plans.

“Why are you calling me at four in the morning, Clarke?” Bellamy’s voice was rough and husky with sleep, the sound arrowing straight to the juncture of her thighs. She dug her fingers into her sheets and scolded herself for her reaction.

“I’m sorry I woke you. I thought you’d still be awake.”

“Why would you think I’d be awake at four?” Bellamy’s voice caught, still filled with sleepiness and he coughed a couple of times to clear it.

“Because you never seem to stop working.”

“You’ve been paying attention.” She could hear the smile in his voice and she smiled involuntarily in response.

Her voice was whisper-soft as she replied, “You wish.”

Bellamy chuckled and she clenched her thighs at the pleasure of the sound. “What are you calling me, Clarke?”

“I needed to talk to you.”

Bellamy purred softly. “At four? What do you _need_?”

“Are you asking me if I want sex?”

“You wouldn’t be calling me at four if you didn’t want me to scratch an itch. A little phone sex never hurt anyone,” Bellamy whispered.

If he kept talking to her like that, she would be hurting really bad, really soon. She was so desperate for sex. Clarke cleared her throat and said firmly, “I don’t need phone sex from you. I can take care of myself very well, thank you. I actually need—”

"I would like to see you take care of yourself.”

 Clarke’s breath caught in her throat. Finn never talked to her in this way and it sent a thrill through her. There was something darkly illicit about dirty talking over the phone. Oh God, she was going to have to get herself off after this phone call. “Shut up, Bellamy,” she groaned. “Listen to me, this is really important.”

She heard the rustle of sheets and was assaulted with the image of Bellamy in bed. She imagined he would sleep in the nude, his skin bare to the moonlight and so hot it would sear her fingers. She imagined pressing her lips against his chest and then moving lower. She had caught him staring at her in his office, his eyes practically undressing her as she stood before him. She had to force herself to not ask if he wanted to have sex with her on his desk. Clarke didn’t think she could resist if he had said yes. She hated her reactions to him.

“Okay, I am trying to wake up. But you have to excuse me. I went to bed an hour ago,” Bellamy said, pulling her out of her dirty thoughts. He sounded far more alert.

“Are you always so crude when you’re drunk or sleepy?”

“Most ladies find it charming.”

She just sighed dramatically and told him about Jaha’s threats and choosing the lesser of two evils. “I’m glad you chose me but I don’t see why you’re telling me about it at four in the morning. It seems like a logical decision. I would have done the same in your position,” Bellamy said, dryly. He clearly was upset at having his sleep interrupted.

“You promised you’d hold up your end of the bargain whenever, wherever, right?”

He was silent for a while. And then, he said, “I’m not going to like this, am I?”

Clarke took a breath. “Let’s get Engaged, Bellamy Blake.”

There was silence on the other end. She couldn’t even hear him breathing. “Bellamy? Are you there? Do I need to call an ambulance?”

“Are you insane? Do you know what it means?”

“I’m not stupid. I know what getting Engaged means.”

“I agreed to be your boyfriend, not your Engaged.”

“We don’t actually have to get Engaged. We can just say we did.”

“I hate you, Clarke Griffin,” Bellamy grumbled. “Have you ever seen someone get Engaged? There’s a _mating dance_. It’s pretty much having sex but with your clothes on.”

“I thought you liked sex.”

“I don’t like archaic practices.”

“Neither do I, Bell.”

“You called me Bell.” She could hear him grinning. “You like me.”

“I don’t. Three syllables are exhausting.”

“Keep lying to yourself.”

“Will you just do it? Please?”

“You said please. You really do like me. Admit it.”

"I should never call you at four in the morning. You’re like an annoying child.” However, Clarke could not help smiling. “Fine. You’re okay.”

“I win.”

Clarke rolled her eyes. Both of them fell quiet, suddenly at a loss for words. Clarke thought Bellamy had fallen asleep and was about to end the call and try in the morning when he said quite seriously, “If I agree to be your fake Engaged, what will you give me in return? Working for me is not enough.”

“What do you want?” Clarke mentally slapped herself the instant the words left her lips. It gave him far too much power and she could picture him smiling wickedly to himself. “Wait—”

“A kiss, Clarke. I want a kiss.”

“You’re getting a kiss if we’re getting Engaged. A kiss seals it, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“I don’t want a fake kiss.” He sounded tired, as if he had always been fake kissing. “I want…a proper kiss.”

 _How does one even fake kiss?_ Clarke thought. “What do you mean by proper kiss? Every kiss is a proper kiss.”

“A proper kiss. You get fireworks, tingles. Your heart races and you feel like you can fly.” Then silence again and then, both of them spoke at the same time.

“Are you sure you’re not drunk?” “Have you never been kissed properly?”

And answered at the same time. “No.” “That’s none of your business.”

“You’re a romantic, aren’t you?” Clarke asked.

“No,” Bellamy said, far too quickly. “I just think you need to be kissed properly. I’m pretty sure that pretty boy has never kissed you that way. Made you want to rip his clothes off.”

“You’re being crude again,” Clarke sighed. At the same time, she imagined ripping Bellamy’s clothes off. She had seen his body once but in the fluorescent lights of the hospital that made everything look garish and out of proportion. She wanted to see him bathed in sunlight, preferably in a field. She wanted to explore with her fingers and then her lips every nick and scar she had all too briefly seen. “I’m never going to rip your clothes off.”

“Never say never.”

“Those sort of kisses are too intimate. It’s like…sex.”

“Have you never had sex?” Without seeing his body language, it was impossible to tell if Bellamy was mocking her or he truly believed she had never had sex.

“Fine. One kiss.” If Clarke didn’t agree, Bellamy wouldn’t either and for her plan to work, she needed him to say yes.

“Would you like an Engagement ring as well?”

Soulmates, or rather, the Engaged no longer exchanged rings to signal their new status. Rather, they performed the mating dance, kissed publicly at an Engagement Ball and relied on word of mouth to spread the news. However, the older families, particularly those of the upper class still presented their partners with heirloom rings. Clarke knew Abby used to wear one but she took it off and locked it away on the day she broke Jake Griffin’s heart.

Clarke made her decision a long time ago. “I would never wear one. It’s sexist. It’s saying that I belong to...my partner,” Clarke said, almost saying “you” but caught herself in time. She didn’t want Bellamy getting any ideas, “but we’re in this together and it’s your decision as much as mine. Would…you want your Engaged to wear a ring?”

“I would,” Bellamy replied with conviction and certainty, “but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Clarke exhaled harshly, blowing a lock of hair away from her face. She looked down at her hands and tried to picture a ring sitting on her fourth finger. She could almost feel the suffocating weight of a band. “I will not wear a ring,” she began and before Bellamy could protest, she continued, “but I will compromise. Maybe a necklace. You may wear a ring if you’d like. I’ll ask mom for the family ring.”

“You deserve jewellery, Clarke. I’ll buy you a necklace tomorrow. Anything you like in particular?”

“No. Pick whatever you like.”

“Diamonds, it is.”

Before Clarke could tell him she didn’t want diamonds or anything far too flashy, she heard the click, telling her he had hung up. She smiled to herself as she slid under the covers, finally falling asleep. She would be free of Jaha, the Council and her mother’s threats soon enough and then, she would have her life back. Until then, she would play their games.

As her eyes fell shut, she did not dare think about how Bellamy’s naked body was the last thing she imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter doesn't have a little "beginning" snippet because in hindsight, this should have been continued after the last chapter. but i didn't initially intend this chapter to take this turn. writer's block was really, really bad and nothing really worked or made me happy. i've scrapped more than 10, 000 words in total when writing this chapter. that's how blocked i was. but i finally did write something i'm happy and proud of.
> 
> i hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as i did writing it. it's a filler chapter but there's loads of awkward sexy stuff :)


	7. author's note

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prepare to be disappointed if you guys came here for another chapter :(

Hi to all my readers and followers of my chaptered soulmate au kisses are too intimate. I am making the very big decision of discontinuing it. (But don’t worry, I am going to rewrite it)

I wanna say a big, big thank you to clarkxblake@tumblr, willsdarcy@tumblr and detective-prettyboy@tumblr for being my betas and supporting this fic especially Val and Jane who have been there for KATI since the beginning and for being my sounding boards.

And I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has ever read, reblogged, shared, commented and just basically loved this fic along with me. You’ve kept me going, churning out chapter after chapter and every time I get a comment, it makes me feel so much happier, so much more determined to write another chapter, to continue on bell and clarke’s story. 

Thank you, thank you so incredibly much.

It pains me to have to give up what I’ve worked on for more than a year, despite the limited number of chapters I have produced. But try as I might, I am unable to write the next chapter. I’ve plotted and plotted and drafted and drafted but nothing seems to be able to form itself.

And the long I went without writing KATI, the more I realised that it wasn’t going the way I wanted it to. The mood of the fic felt too depressing and I just wasn’t happy with continuing or writing it. Mostly because it refused to go where I wanted it to. 

Perhaps the mistake I made was starting at the beginning and not allowing my characters to lead. Instead, I tried to force them in the way I wanted the plot to go and when I couldn’t push any more, writer’s block surfaced. 

So, with a heavy heart, I say goodbye to what I feel is the defining piece of my fanfiction writing career so far. 

But because I love KATI so much as well as the world I did create, I am going to rewrite it. It won’t be soon and it won’t be quick because I do want to explore writing other things. That and being in my final year of uni is eating up a lot of my time. 

With all my love,

Avery


End file.
